A Time In A Day
by Winterwing3000
Summary: With their marriage pending, Vincent and Yuffie struggle to fit into new molds as they adjust to their new lives in the royal court of Wutai. Sequel to 'Pieces of Happiness'.
1. Dawn

**Disclaimers **on the characters of Final Fantasy VII, who rightfully belong to SquareEnix, because I really don't have the money as a college student to get sued.

**AN: **This is a series of one-shots, with a lot of variety, which comes together as a story. I mean, it is chronological… it just doesn't exactly have a linear plotline… But I guess you can call it a sequel or side story of sorts to **Pieces of Happiness**.

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><p>Dawn,<p>

By Winterwing3000

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><p>An owl hooted lightly as he soared through the sky covered in navy and fading twinkling lights. In his claws was a dead mouse from the docks, the dinner for his hatchings. The feathers on his head ruffled as he dipped into the dark forest. He weaved in and out of the tree branches silently, gliding smoothly in the air that caught his wings. The other birds and animals were asleep in their homes on the ground and in the trees. Nothing stirred. The large tawny eyes blinked once as he gave a silent flap and landed with ease on the branch leading to the hole in the great pine that stood at the top of the Da Chao San range that created the northern borders of Wutai. Just as he was about to enter his nest, he heard rustling to his left and curiously twisted his head in that direction.<p>

Two figures appeared from one of the stone palms of the magnificent Da Chao Statue that was carved into the peak of mountainside. One of them skipped with a lilt in her step while the other silently followed at an even pace. They were only dark outlines in the still night. The tall one had a slight hunch to his shoulders and his silhouette frayed at the edges. The other was significantly shorter with a bulky object swinging in windmills from an outstretched arm. With a practiced flick of a wrist, the object was dispatched. The four-point shuriken spun merrily above their heads before piercing deeply into the dirt next to a large rock a few feet ahead of them. The polished blades glanced off the remaining starlight and soaked in the oncoming rays of dawn.

Yuffie threw her arms into the air and clasped her hands before she folded them backwards in order to stretch out her shoulders, the length of her two arms and her upper back. After hearing the satisfying cracks of the pressure releasing from her joints, she sprinted a short distance before flinging herself into a series of cartwheels and ended in a vertical-one split right next to her weapon. A smile, bright and wide, appeared on her face as she stood up from the ground. She waved him over impatiently.

"Whoop!" she cheered with a bounce. "C'mon Vinnie!"

Vincent didn't bother to hasten his steps at her urging and she pouted. With a quick tug, she extracted her shuriken from the ground and swung it at him. It boomeranged around his body before spinning back into her hands. The pink ribbon tied to one of the blades fluttered when it flew. Her companion didn't even flinch. In fact the only thing that moved was his cloak flaring behind him from the vacuum of the space that the weapon sliced.

Rolling her eyes, she quickly gave up and set aside her weapon. Finding a cleared spot, Yuffie flexibly pulled one of her legs back, almost touching the back of her head with her foot, and perfectly executed a standing split. After shaking out the muscles on that stretched leg, she did the same for the other. When both of her feet were firmly planted on the ground, with a nod in content, she began her morning routine of kata.

Picking up her large shuriken from the ground, Vincent sat down on the large rock and placed it next to him. He readjusted his position, moving one foot to rest firmly on the rock as the other stretched out, in order to stop from sliding off the slanted surface. He wore none of his firearms on his person and left them all in his room. He leaned forward into his particular hunched posture with the gauntlet across his knees and half his face hidden behind the collar of his mantle. His focus, from the beginning, never strayed from Yuffie.

He knew she knew that he was watching her. Yet she had no trace of embarrassment or discomfort as she executed each move gracefully and powerfully. It was like watching water, Vincent noted like he did the past few times he came up to Da Chao San with Yuffie, and rightfully so since their superior god was the serpent summon Leviathan, also known as the King of Seas. Her movements were sometimes wide and violent, surging with the ferocity of a tidal wave. Other times, they were subtle and calm, rippling the air like a stone dropping into a still river. As always, they were silent, no more than a quick whirl in the wind. It was the same for her breathing. Each breath was carefully coordinated with a certain turn of her body, a sweep of her foot and a slice of her hand. Her form was controlled and her concentration was not wavered as she transitioned from her warm-up solo exercise into disarming and dispatching an invisible enemy.

Yuffie picked up her momentum, adding spinning kicks and flips every now and then. She pulled jabs and hits in the air, at times lodging into more cartwheels and launching off the ground to perform nose-dive kicks. She felt the blood pumping in her ears and the adrenaline rushing through her veins. She became completely absorbed at the imaginative opponent she was fighting. Visions of strong blows and kicks echoed in her mind as she tried to return each she was dealt and if possible, twice the amount. Her body slipped in and out of the unseen attacks all while trying to maintain a strong defense without loosing power and swiftness in her offense.

The darkness in the sky gradually receded during the process. Pastel blues, oranges, whites and reds appeared slowly. Vincent watched as the contours of Yuffie's body glowed from the lights breaking from the edge of the horizon. Her black shadow danced in tandem with her on the ground, matching punches and kicks and spins. She started to retreat, losing footing with her imaginary foe, as her offenses began to overwhelm her defenses. Occasionally, when she was cornered to the edge of the cliff, Yuffie would perform a high jump, and land without flourish in a crouched position in order to bring the battle back to stable ground.

Vincent could feel his battle instincts rousing from its sleep as Yuffie started to lose her concentration from the dullness of her morning routine. In his mind's eye, he easily predicted where she was going to land her next attack and where her openings were. He clenched his fists as the itch for a good physical spar tingled through his hands. Although he was not entirely trained in hand-to-hand combat, he was trained to a proficient level during his days as a Turk. All those employed under ShinRa's Turks Division were given a well-rounded education in firearms, fights fights, vehicle operation, stealth and undercover performance. Deciding that it was time, Vincent unbuckled the leather belts of his red cloak and discarded it on top of the steel weapon. Then he jumped into the middle of her battle.

Yuffie blinked in astonishment when Vincent suddenly appeared before her without his trademark mantle and literally swept her off her feet. With a practiced sweep of his right foot, Vincent tripped her just as she reflexively brought up one leg to kick at his face. With a groan, she landed flat on her back. She sat up and rubbed the back of her head. Then she looked at him with one eye opened and exclaimed, "What was that for, Vince!"

Vincent didn't bother to answer or to offer her a hand up. Instead, he took a slight step back and with a debonair tilt of his chin, he said, "Spar with me, Yuffie."

Now with a grin on her face, Yuffie launched off the ground and to her feet with renewed vigor. A barrage of punches came immediately at his torso, which he easily blocked with his arms. She continued to attack him despite the fact that half the time one of her fists made contact with his brass gauntlet. When they sparred previously, Vincent debated between extracting the gauntlet since he viewed it as a handicap for Yuffie. She, however, outright told him to keep it on with the reason being that there will be times where she will be at a disadvantage in battle and going easy on her would only give her an even greater handicap in true battle. She also added, if his memory served him correctly, that she can 'totally kick Vincent butt any day, any way in hand-to-hand combat.' And although she failed to do so the past times that they sparred together, she was persistent in proving her statement true.

Sometimes, she came at him with wide attacks—a side kick of her leg, a spin kick, or a dashed punch—and he easily evaded them. By the time she broke through his defenses, Vincent went into offense and started to aim for the openings that she had left wide open. He was about to side step her incoming punch and reached to grab her other arm in hopes to disable parts of her movements when she quickly pivoted on the soles of her feet. Yuffie spun in a clockwise direction with her left leg lifted in mid-air and her knee made contact with his side but she was grabbed by the ankle and pushed to the side before she could get her foot back. Not to mention Vincent's own knee was coming rapidly at her stomach.

She scrambled to flip to the side and aimed her swinging foot at him, but he blocked it with his brass arm. Momentum lost, Yuffie flopped to the ground and looked up. There was little recovery time as Vincent reared his arm back to slam his gauntlet down at her. Instinctively, she rolled over a few times and barely got to her feet as he came closer to where she stood. She cautiously eyed the dent in the earth that Vincent created with just the force of his metal arm. The grooves of each knuckle and joint were impressed on the ground. Three ninja stars appeared in her hand and Vincent merely lifted an eyebrow with interest. He still couldn't figure out where she kept those on her person.

Before being able to further pursue that train of thought, they flew at him. He ducked and brought his metal arm up in defense. Metal clashed against metal and the stars ricocheted. When he looked back up, Yuffie was no longer in front of him but he saw her shadow on the ground. Tilting his head, he nearly got a foot in his face. Jumping out of the way, her foot collided against his shoulder and he grunted at the contact. Just as she was about to strike him on his chest with her other foot, he held on to the foot that slammed against him. Yuffie yelped and swung her arms in a windmill motion as her upper body was pulled down by gravity. Her free foot jerked in midair and rather clumsily, she tried to kick him again. She expected him to release her other foot, instead he grabbed her incoming one with his other hand, causing her to just fall with her hands dangling past her head. Her fingers were just inches from touching the ground.

They stopped all movements. Only their rise and fall of their chest showed that they were moving. Yuffie, the more impatient one of the two, huffed.

"Vinnie! I'm going to vomit all over your precious gold pointy shoes!" she threatened while being suspended in the air. With her knees bent at perfect right angles, she couldn't help but wonder how awkward and horrified her four guardians would feel if they saw their empress in such a position. "And stop staring at my ass!"

"If I recall, I was not the one who constantly said that the only 'ass' that I should only be allowed to look at was yours," Vincent deadpanned. He could almost hear her roll her eyes and her cheeks puff out.

Heaving in a deep breath, Yuffie strained all the muscles around her midsection and managed to pull herself into a crunch position with her arms wrapping underneath her knees. She silently thanked Staniv for the past rope lessons that strengthened her core muscles. Too bad she didn't have washboard abs with it. Oh well. She placed her chin on top of her knees and stuck her tongue out at him. "I, on the other hand, recall no such conversation."

She lightly slapped at his hands still holding onto her ankles. "Now let me off."

He obliged her request and lowered her down so that as she unfolded from her huddled position, she could easily perform a handspring to get back on her feet.

The moment he released his grip on her ankles, he knew that something was not quite right. Yuffie gave him a wicked smirk before she shifted her entire weight to her the bottom of her feet and pushed against his body, sending them into opposite directions—Vincent was falling back toward the ground as she sprung into the air. Just as she thought she was free, he caught her again in mid-flip by her right calf and redirected her center of gravity toward him.

The owl who observed them as a silent audience this entire time visibly winced with his head tucked under a wing. He spread the tips of his wings, peeking with one bright eye at the scene. When the dust settled below, he shook his head and feathers and hopped into his cozy nest, where his mate was already waiting with her own prey and his chicks hungrily chirping. If he were able to speak and enunciate his thoughts in a profound manner, one couldn't help but wonder just what he would say from observing the dynamic pair. Instead, he clucked a few times with his beak and hooted before retiring formally.

"You know, I thought we spent enough me-on-you time already, Vince. Didn't think you're that much into skinship," Yuffie commented with a teasing lilt in her voice. She flicked away his bangs from his forehead for good measure. Then she sighed and leaned down, resting her forehead against his left shoulder. "I almost beat you that time, you know?"

Vincent looped his arms loosely around the span of her waist. He normally didn't perspire during an early morning spar, but he felt the excess body heat radiating from her body. He took in the subtle shiver that traveled through her body when he brushed the pointed golden fingers on the exposed skin of her lower back. His eyes were focused on the sky above them. Dusty reds and dark blues shrouded the white clouds that he faintly traced.

He hummed in agreement. "Almost."

They lapsed into a content silence. Their breathing fell in sync. Their hearts were pressed against each other, only separated by the layer of their clothing and flesh. His was beating slower than hers, but drummed heavily against her breast as if to lull her heart into a pattern that fell into a rhythm with his. The cool night air of mid-summer started to give way to the humid winds. The animals once resting began to stir from their nightly rest.

"It is about time we head back," the gunslinger murmured as he moved his gloved hand up her back and slipped it through her dark coarse hair. The strands slithered through the gaps between his fingers. The ninja snuggled more firmly into the man underneath her.

"I don't want to…" she complained. "Chekov's waiting with a new tailor in my study today. She still hasn't forgiven me for cutting through my other robe. And…"

He shifted his gaze from the view above him and found himself almost nose-to-nose with the young woman sprawled along the length of his body. An eyebrow rose elegantly, prompting her to finish her thought. "And?"

"They want to talk about you. And me. And the wedding."

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Just so you know, I think half of this entire spar session defied physics. It just amazes me what a writer can do to twist reality. Muwahahah.

Hope you enjoyed the first part of this series. Please tell me what you think of it in a review! Next up: **Sunrise**.

Have a wonderful New Year!


	2. Sunrise

**Disclaimers **on the characters of Final Fantasy VII, who rightfully belong to SquareEnix, because I really don't have the money as a college student to get sued. An even though I altered some facts of history (gasp) and rearranged some things geographically, I promise I'm still poor.

**AN:** Enjoy the second part and tell me what you all think!

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><p>Sunrise,<p>

By Winterwing3000

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><p>A pair of yellow-green eyes with elliptical pupils blinked in the morning darkness. Fine hairs of dark orange and black surrounded the pair of eyes and a pinkish nose appeared underneath the dark hair. Silver whiskers stretched when the jaws opened in a yawn. The bushy tail suddenly stood on alert as thunder roared and lightning flashed. The sound of rain crescendoed within seconds as the darkness swallowed the sunrise whole.<p>

The longhaired cat meowed pitifully in fright. With its whiskers drooping, it dashed off the soft mattress, jostling a pair of feet in the process. It disappeared with quiet click-click-click of its nails tapping against the hardwood floor out the bamboo screen door.

Groaning from the trampling across her feet, gray-lavender orbs fluttered blearily as a head of dark hair shuffled from underneath the thin cotton blanket. Yawning and rubbing a kink in her neck, Yuffie muttered drowsily, "Bad Mr. Snuffy."

Her bed partner snorted at her words. "Go back to sleep, Yuffie. The cat's gone."

"Mm…" The Wutai Empress blinked her eyes a few more times all while giving Vincent a reassuring pat on what she assumed to be his shoulder since she couldn't really tell from the darkness sprawled across the length of her room. "I will. You sleep too, Vinnie."

Vincent fully opened his eyes and stared at her for a moment. Then he nodded once and returned to his slumber. She listened carefully as his breathing decelerated into an even and low rhythm. Then Yuffie closed her own eyes in hopes of falling back asleep. She could hear the small windup clock at the far side of her room ticking away. It wasn't long before she gave a small huff and sat up with her back against the pillows with her arms folded across her midsection. Her senses now were completely awake and sleep refused to come to her.

With a sidelong glance down at Vincent, she let her head tilt back against the tall headboard silently. Usually she complained about how little he slept but once he decided to sleep, he will sleep regardless of the noise and disturbances around him (unless it was some impending danger that can potentially kill him). Sometimes, she was jealous of his ability to sleep so deeply. Now, she chuckled lightly the irony of it all, it was her watching him catching some Z's whereas it was the other way around for the most part.

Ever since she began to wander the Planet on her own, the nights alone were times of danger where she slept fitfully from the fear of being robbed or killed. Her sleeping habit became irregular and at times annoying whenever she was exhausted from long days spent with her royal court. Tonight started off fairly well. She turned in the moment the last document was read and approved by her royal seal. She did not wait for her lover to come to bed from his routine check around the palace and dived into her mattress the moment she came out of the bathroom. Sleep took her to dreamland and frustratingly, it was taken from her the moment her pet decided to freak out at the summer storm.

Sighing silently, she closed her eyes and concentrated at the rumbling of the rolling thunder outside. Her thin screen windows allowed the glaring white lightning to illuminate her room each time it struck the earth. More and more frequently, the summer storms came into Wutai from the large ocean. Water has become plentiful for this year's harvest and was welcomed by many of the citizens of her country. The serious drought that they faced last year still lingered at the back of their minds so they took caution not to anger Leviathan and frequently offered street prayers.

Speaking of street prayers, it was about time for her to consider organizing another festival for Wutai as a whole. Or at the capital Dai-Tai, at the very least in honor of the rain that Leviathan graced Wutai with. It will give her the chance to be freed of her royal duties, even if for a day, and allow her to meet with her kinsmen. Godo rarely participated in such fanfare and told her once that it was their responsibility to guide the country to wealth and peace, which meant that she was not to place herself into the dangers that were present in the streets. Rather, she was to bask in their success from the towers of the palace and watch it thrive. However, with stubborn as her middle name, Yuffie often stole away from the palace and cavorted in the busy peasant and farmer life of her father's subjects.

People did not know that she was their princess, despite the elaborately embroidered tunic and the smooth silk pants she wore each time she explored the lands of Wutai. She even had silk slippers on her feet, a rarity among the wealthier class within the country. They probably thought of her as a court noble's child, since the children of her father's royal court frequented the streets more than she. Regardless, free from suspicions and attention, Yuffie roamed the country's capital at her leisure. She saw the countryside and the city life. She saw the wealth of the main street and the despair of the back roads. She saw farmers, merchants, beggars, and nobles. She saw more problems than she saw happiness in the lives of these common people in the country that is her father's. And now, she saw herself in the midst of it all.

She became disillusioned about the so called happiness and wealth and demanded countless reasons from Godo. Time and time again, he merely looked at her with hard and sympathetic eyes but did not yield an answer. He only told her, "If you feel that your subjects are unhappy, then bring happiness to them."

As a child, she sat and thought, long and hard of a suitable form of happiness. It came to her as a festival—a time of life and celebration. Of peace, wealth and stability. Unfortunately, before anything could be done, she was well on her way traveling alone through the planet.

Lightning flashed yet again, casting a shadow across half her face. Thunder growled soon after, causing the structure of the windows to tremble in the wooden frames. It echoed deeply into her heart as she brought her thoughts to the comrades she met along that journey.

If the planning for the festival went well, it was more of a reason for her to invite the rest of AVANLANCHE as a form of reunion. The last time she saw them was when they came to Wutai for the harvest festival hosted in askance for an end to the drought. It was not the best of time for their visit—she wanted them to see Wutai in all its former glory, not the travel tourist trap that ShinRa turned it into after the war. She barely made a scratch on the surface since she became the ruler of this ancient country at that time.

It wasn't easy, she thought as a frown slowly formed wrinkles at the bridge of her nose. She wasn't made to be a princess of a falling country. Strong as she might be as a ninja, she was not cut out to play in an open field of politics. She feared the idea of holding hundreds, possibly thousands, of people's lives in her grasp. Not like her mother, who shouldered the responsibility of the casualties in ShinRa-Wutai war by sacrificing herself to appease the vengeful and sorrowful citizens. Unbidden tears welled in her eyes.

Yuffie recalled that day so vividly.

From the tops of the Da Chao Statue, one could see the dark smokes rising from the farmlands against the orange glowing sunlight peaking from over the horizon. The rice paddies were trampled and countryside homes were destroyed. The other crops were spoiled and many animals were slain. Below, at the foot of the mountain, the surrounding cities were not spared either. Buildings were barely standing. Bodies littered the streets, staining the pavement with dried blood of ShinRa soldiers and Wutai citizens.

From her place at the balcony at the highest level of the Pagoda, Yuffie could smell the coppery scent of fresh blood. Soldiers, wounded and dead, were piled in a corner of their walking garden. The small pond was red. She could hear the mournful and painful cries of the people. They were preparing a burial by burning their dead. She turned around when she heard the familiar approaching footsteps.

The Empress stood tall in her battle armor. Her long black ponytail swayed hypnotically behind her and her weapons, the Conformer and an unnamed katana, were in her hands. The Emperor Godo followed from behind his wife. He was also dressed for war with a large sword with a dragon hilt at his hip.

"Father! Mother!" the young Yuffie exclaimed as she trotted over to her parents in her heavy silk skirts. The Empress smiled at her child and reached to lay her hand on Yuffie's dark crown when a loud crash shook the palace gates. Everything from there onward was static and noise to her.

The gates were brought down and hoards of angry common folk filled the palace grounds. Words blurred together and angry roars punctuated their demand for peace and the price of war. The Emperor's personal guard, the Wusheng, appeared silently and perched on the standing walls of surrounding the palace. They warily eyed the peasants and farmers, out to catch anyone who would physically harm the royal family. Mutely, she watched as her father bellowed an answer with his deep voice and as her mother stood quietly behind him. Her grip on her katana tightened with each word said.

The Emperor's word only fueled the hatred to the crowd below them. They refused to remain silent any longer. The Wusheng stiffened in preparation to jump into action.

The Empress came forward and said something, pacifying them momentarily before they began to chant spiteful words sprouting from their grief and weariness from the war. The Emperor ordered the Wusheng to step into the foray but at that moment someone let out a piercing shriek.

Yuffie heard nothing but the battle cry from her mother and saw nothing but the glint of a bloody sword. And then the slow fall of her mother into her father's arms. The sword was buried to the hilt into her stomach and was kept there by her crimson caked hands despite the fact that her father insisted on removing it. The fallen Empress held up a hand at the Emperor's effort and he ceased.

The people below were stunned into silence. Godo began cry, speaking in a low and hoarse tone to his dying wife. Young Yuffie stood there, eyes wide and mouth agape, and watched as her mother beckoned her to her side. The child stumbled next to her mother and fell to her knees.

The Empress raised a freshly coated hand of blood and weakly drew the symbol of their ancient god onto her daughter's forehead. The blood smeared and dribbled down Yuffie's pale face. The people gasped at her actions and like a wave, they prostrated themselves with their foreheads touching the ground. Everything that was previously at a standstill rushed back into motion. The cotton was cleared from her ears and all sounds became far too articulate.

"I have paid the price of this war to my people of Wutai, Ancient One," the Empress breathed as her hand fell to her side. "O Mighty Leviathan, bless the heir and guide her to peace for our country Wutai. May the heir not know the grievances of war as she bears your mark as your faithful servant—the White Rose Princess Kisaragi Yuffie of Wutai…"

The crack of thunder pulled Yuffie from her past. The rain outside drummed without mercy on her roof and window screens. She blinked and realized belatedly that her vision was blurry. Her hands clenched onto the fabric of her blanket in her lap and teardrops rolled down the valley of her white knuckles. The pearl ring perched on her left hand was wet as well. The young Empress swallowed the lump in her throat and tried to blink away the tears of bitterness and grief.

The bed shifted underneath her and Yuffie knew instantly that Vincent was awake.

Vincent did not remain asleep for very long, especially since he felt Yuffie's sorrow coming off her in waves and he smelled the salty tears. He sat up and leaned against the headboard as she did and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Instinctively, Yuffie turned her head and pressed herself against his side. His neck cradled her head where tears continued to fall from her eyes. She bit down her sobs and trembled as each one stole across her body. Not a word was spoken between them even as her crying toned down to a sniffle every few moments and dried tears down her cheeks.

Half-lidded red eyes, glowing in the morning rain's darkness, stared down at the dark crown of hair. They traced the sad-wrinkled forehead, down to the slope line of her nose, over the ridge of her upper lip and stopped at the tips of her teeth gnawing at the lower lip. He lifted his human hand and gently brushed away the tracks left by her tears with this thumb. Rarely did Vincent see Yuffie in such distress. Usually, she was too proud to show her emotive side and hid them easily behind her cheerful and mischievous smile. There were times when she was solemn or disappointed but never sad to the point tears would fall. The only other time he saw her cry was when Aerith was returned to the Lifestream.

"I never told you this, but I hate the sunrise," Yuffie sighed with a crackle in her voice.

She placed a chaste kiss at the junction of his bare shoulder and neck, a grateful gesture for his comfort. Vincent hummed at her contact. His clawed arm dropped from her shoulders and curled at her hip. The tips of the tarnished arm lightly scratched the area of flesh there. Patiently, he did not ask why but waited for her to continue her story.

"It reminds me that I'm cursed," she told him bluntly.

"Cursed?" he repeated. He was confused.

Yuffie took his bare hand by the wrist then unfurled the fore and middle finger. She then brought them to her forehead where her bangs parted. She closed her eyes and released a heavy sigh. Vincent watched in fascination as she slowly traced his fingers in an unrecognizable pattern of strokes and curves. When she finished, her eyes fluttered open and dropped their now linked hands onto her lap.

"Cursed," she said firmly. "By my mother just before she died."

He didn't judge her words or ask her to justify her stance. Rather, he was intrigued by the sign she drew. "That symbol…?"

"It is Leviathan's seal. It's the one we saw on the temple door at the foot of Da Chao San," she told him.

"I see," Vincent murmured as he tried to slide the pieces of the puzzle she handed to him into the picture that was her reason. As the gears in his mind cranked and clunked, he absentmindedly wiped away the dry tear tracks on her face.

It didn't take him long. Yuffie noticed immediately when his deep red eyes gained that clarity in them. But there was hesitance in them as well. He didn't know how to broach the topic and he didn't know how to work around it. And she didn't mind. He understood and she knew that as long as she didn't push the card, he wouldn't push it either. She liked that about them as friends. They don't push or pull when it wasn't necessary. There was always some neutral ground that they could stand on. And she liked that about them as lovers. Not everything for them had to be black or white. Grey was a nice color, too.

The thunder rolled away and the rain faded to the background. Sun beams wormed their way through the cracks of her window screens. The mood lifted as the weather shifted. Now, the ideal way to wrap up the sudden heart-to-heart session at the crack of the day for Yuffie was a nice cuddle session and returning to sleep until she felt like waking up.

Instead, she opted for a more dramatic ending for their somber waking.

Yuffie hooked her right arm around Vincent's neck and then rolled on her back. He draped his body over hers and stared down at her with a cocked eyebrow. She saw the way his ruby eyes glitter with amusement. She looked at him with a fire in her eyes.

Her lips parted, but words didn't escape. Instead, she stayed like that for a good while. He nearly rolled his eyes at her elongated pause. Then a snicker bubbled from her vocal chords.

"Oh, Vincent!" She said that in a breathy whisper. Another pause, but shorter this time. She raised her left leg and hooked it around his waist, bringing them even closer. Her free arm was flung above her head as she proclaimed, "Kiss me!"

Vincent sighed but proceeded to anneal their lips together—tongue and all.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> There was an alternate ending to this, one that is much more serious and steamier. But I can't bring myself to write it. It just didn't feel right at the moment (and this chapter is long enough…). Maybe it'll reappear in the later chapters. I'll see you all in the next chapter, **Morning**.

Thank you for the wonderful readership! Please review and let me know how you feel about this!


	3. Morning

**Disclaimers **on the characters of Final Fantasy VII, who rightfully belong to SquareEnix, because I really don't have the money as a college student to get sued.

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><p>Morning,<p>

By Winterwing3000

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><p>Life which used to be at a standstill was no longer. Changes happened so frequently in his life these days that he wasn't sure if he could catch up. What was once a passive chore was now an active and spontaneous moment. Days no longer blurred together like wrong splashes of ink on a canvas. Rather, each stroke and color was decided carefully and painted boldly. At least, that was how Vincent felt about each morning.<p>

Every day of the week, Yuffie managed to find a new way to greet the morning after her wash and before her morning court appearance. At first, Vincent did not question her antics and went along with her as she either got them into some sort of trouble or into some sort of enjoyable activity that did not require her to cut a thigh-high slit on the sides her robes. She was a bundle of energy and he figured that this was one of the more common ways she greeted the new day during her life within the walls of the Pagoda, away from prying and judging eyes.

It took a little while before he considered asking her the reason of their unusual morning escapades. She merely smiled mysteriously at him and reassured him that it was her usual style.

Least to say, Vincent was not convinced as he did not recall her ever being so during their hunt for Sephiroth, but he let the topic go.

There were things that he considered their morning routine—such as Yuffie being harassed by Chekov with new ideas for an additional robe for her wardrobe, or Vincent debating between tying his hair and slipping on the red bandana, or Yuffie ordering her guardians Shake and Staniv to chase Mr. Snuffy the cat when it would randomly appear during the morning court session, or Vincent waiting patiently outside of the court hall and being barreled by Yuffie once all the court nobles were dismissed.

And then there were the things that were categorized by Vincent as the charm of the day, most of which happened during mornings since afternoons meant Yuffie being locked up in her study to fill out piles and piles of paperwork, and evenings meant dinners with different nobles to create amicable relationships between the individual provinces and the head of state. And of course, late evenings were meant for a private affair of two, not that Vincent was complaining. It was a moment with just the both of them in their deepest secrets and darkest passions. But that was almost comparable to the light heartedness and, might he dare say, fun that was a part of their every morning.

After the hand maids came in to wake them up and prepared their bath and clothing, Vincent would bath first. Yuffie would play with the cat until he came out and she took over the bathroom.

Once he was dressed, he normally wondered what she had in store. But for now, Vincent sat at the foot of their shared bed with a black hair tie in one hand and the crimson bandana in the claw. Yuffie's palace feline, Mr. Snuffy, was playing with a toy mouse a few feet away from the vanity. His sharpened sense of hearing picked up the sound of the water spilling over the edge of the wooden bath behind the screen doors of the adjacent room and the pitter patter of wet feet across the wet floorboards. The heavy rustling of cloth told him that Yuffie was pulling on her day _kimono_, a mellow tangerine silk with silver cranes sewn across the sleeves, over her plain white cotton _hiyoku_ and her _nagajuban_.

A quiet but singing hum came from outside their window. The cicadas were calling from their perch in the trees. Deciding that it will be humid, Vincent chose the black hair tie. Dropping the red cloth onto the bed, he bit on the edge of the black tie and raised his hands to sweep the long black locks into a semblance of a low ponytail, at the nape. His claw surprisingly ran through the tangles and smoothed out the bumps. The tricky part of his hair was tying it. Hair would slip if he held it with his claw and the tie would snap if he used the claw.

His dilemma was solved as an alabaster hand removed the tie from his mouth and a smaller hand appeared next to his at his neck. Vincent lowered his arms and sat still as the small woman slipped onto the bed, standing behind him with her knees at his sides.

With the deftness and practice of any woman, Yuffie easily secured the ponytail. As she fixed a few stray strands, she asked, "No bandana today?"

Vincent shook his head. "It will be humid today."

She hummed and hopped off the mattress. A yard long worth of mauve and white silk appeared before his eyes.

"Help me with my _obi_," she stated. Her arms openly offered him the rich sash.

Vermillion eyes soaked in the incomplete state of dress that Yuffie was in. Her _hiyoku_ was tied but her _kimono_ was hanging open. They then stared directly at the heart-shaped face. He didn't know how.

"Perhaps you should ask Chekov to help you. I," Pausing, he searched for the proper words. "Have very little experience in traditional clothing such as yours."

"Oh come on Vincent! Chekov is probably busy helping Tifa, Shera, and Shelke with their kimono. It'll be troublesome to call her up here and then ask her to run back downstairs. She's not exactly a spring hen anymore," she chided. "And I'll guide you through it."

An eyebrow rose in question. "Then why don't you do it yourself?"

Rolling her eyes, she muttered incomprehensively in her native tongue and then stood tall with hands on her hips. Vincent tried to hide the twitch of his lips at her failingly unintimidating pose.

"Can't you see how long this thing is? I'll probably have better luck strangling myself than tying it behind me!" she said hotly, knowing that being short did not make her look as fierce as she intended.

Sighing, Vincent acquiesced. He took the fine silk from her, slightly surprised at the weight of the long fabric. She saw his look and scowled at a distant memory. "Yeah, it's that heavy. Running in it is ridiculous. I feel like I have rocks tied to my back. If I could, I would be wearing a plain summer _yukata_ instead of this formal dress."

Yuffie turned around and overlapped her outer layer closed. Her under kimono peeked at the collar. "Okay, now listen carefully because this will get very complicated and takes a lot of imagination—it's kind of like _origami_, though I know that you don't really know how to fold it but that's okay. That's what I'm here for."

As she prattled, Vincent listened carefully, tuning out words of unimportance and holding onto specific instructions. Slowly, he tied and adjusted the silk sash. Yuffie made appropriate tucks and tightening as he helped her through the tedious process.

"It's a lost art, you know? Knowing how to tie an _obi_," she remarked, as she stepped away from him. He let her move in front of the wall of mirrors and watched as she gently fussed with the shape of the _obi_ knot at the back. "Chehov and a few others are the only ones who still remember how to do it. Usually, you'll have to find a professional _kimono_ maker to learn this. But it's a long process, being a master in an ancient art…"

She trailed off, as if lost in a distant memory. But then she smiled widely and half-dragged and half-skipped her way over to her lover. "But I have to say, you're pretty good for a beginner!"

"I've seen it," he told her after a beat of silence. "When I was younger."

Yuffie cocked her head in askance as she paraded to the changing screen and drew out a neatly folded _hakama_ and _haori_. It was a dark green _haori_ and white _hakama_. She handed to him and watched as he confidently changed into them before her very eyes. Vincent grew slowly comfortable with revealing his skin to her eyes, regardless of the surgical scars and battle scars.

He never figured out her fascination with his scars, but perhaps it was the same as his with hers. They each told a story, small or big, and it was a part of them that could never be erased. It reminded them of what they endured to be where they were. Though he wondered if her description of his ("_They're gorgeous, Vince!"_) were accurate.

He fixed the tie of his _hakama_ as he answered her, "My maternal grandfather was of Wutai descent. My mother was raised in a traditional Wutai household, and often she wore clothing similar to this, even after married to my father."

"Hmm, did she teach you?" she inquired as she sat down on the bed. It was rare that Vincent spoke of his parents, much less his past before his encounter with Lucrecia Crescent. Mr. Snuffy jumped next to her and purred as she scratched him between the ears.

Vincent recalled what he could his mother. She was a petite woman, much like Yuffie, due to her heritage. Her eyes were a light brown and her skin was fair. She had the traditional long black hair, always twisted into a bun at the nape of her neck. She was very soft spoken and demure in all settings. He was never chastised for coming home in dirty clothes or when he decided to skip a few important dinner parties hosted by his father. She was a frail woman, but with a strong will, as most Wutai women were. The only time of weakness she showed him was when they received a letter from ShinRa one evening as dinner was being set. It bore the message of his father's accidental death during his research.

From then on, his mother spoke even less. She continued to wear her hair up, signifying her devotion to her late husband and honoring their marriage, even though but her choice of _kimono_ became somber and plain. He could still remember her mournful gazes as she stared at him, he who shared more resemblance to his father than mother.

Vincent felt his heart clench when sorrowful eyes flashed in his mind. It was ultimately too much to bear. And so he decided to join the Turks—it was a means to provide for his only parent and to escape the questions plaguing him. Now, he could only look back and wonder if she were still alive. He stopped by once at his old home of Midgar only to find that the apartment building was replaced with a private clinic. He did not step foot to ask of the previous tenants but he had a feeling that she moved on to a place where she could spend the last of her days peacefully.

"Vincent?"

Blood red eyes blinked as he returned to the present. His long dark mane swayed as he shook his head. "No, I only watched. My father tried a few times, unsuccessfully in the process though. My mother said it was improper for a man to tie it for a woman"

The Empress snorted, "Well there goes propriety for you and me. It was probably more about the implications. Men only touched the _obi_ if they were a master of the art or if they were the woman's husband. That's probably why your father could help her."

Vincent gave her a quizzical look at her insinuation, not really catching on.

Picking up Mr. Snuffy, Yuffie smirked. "Honestly, Vince, guys were probably more eager to untie it than to tie it back then."

He looked at her mutely, one eyebrow up. She grinned cattily at him. "But I'm glad that you can do both. It saves me a lot of trouble."

The gunslinger came next to the smaller woman and ran his claw through her silky and inky hair. The ninja held her breath. It looped around one of its digits as he bent down and pressed his lips softly against her tresses. All the while, he watched her with the corner of his lips curving slightly. He uttered in a low and husky voice, "I am of your service, Kisaragi-_hime_."

Yuffie blushed bashfully, still unused to the gentle and romantic side of her lover. Her grey eyes were slowly sliding shut as he leaned in, fanning his breath across her lips.

"Meowr," Mr. Snuffy yowled from her lap, slapping a paw against Vincent's chest. He stood on his hind legs in Yuffie's grasp and flicked his ears in annoyance. The man sighed and stood back to his full height.

The woman squeezed her eyes shut in exasperation before she pouted at her pet. She untangled her fingers from the cat's midsection and it fell back down onto four feet. He looked over his shoulder with a dry look. She spanked him lightly next to the tail as she waggled a finger at him. "Bad, Mr. Snuffy."

The cat took the signal and huffed before jumping away from the couple. It wandered around the dresser, playing with a long piece of silk.

"I believe that your cat is jealous," Vincent deadpanned as he sat down next to her.

Yuffie threw her head back and laughed. She couldn't help but tease, "Are you sure it's not you who is jealous, Vincent?"

Before he could answer, another interruption came from the door. It was Chekov. "My lady, are you done? I am here to help you with your _obi_!"

The Wutai woman hopped off the bed and gracefully glided to the screen door. Chekov bowed at her appearance. Yuffie pardoned her with a wave of her hand. "I have it under control. I just need you to tie the cord for me. You always did it best."

Chekov looked amazed. "Kisaragi-_sama_, you tied the _obi_ by yourself?"

The empress couldn't help but do a dainty twirl, reminiscent of her youth when showing off her new _kimono_ to her parents. "Nope, Vincent is the one you should praise. He is almost as good as you, Chekov!"

Vincent merely shook his head when the guardian faced him in wonder. He stood up and lightly dusted off his _hakama_. His garnet eyes sought the older woman. "Are Cloud and the others downstairs?"

"Yes, Strife-_san _and the other men are waiting in the grand hall. Lockhart- _san_, Highwind-_san_ and Rui-_san_ are in Lockhart-_san_'s room at the moment. Shall I go inform them that you are looking for them, Valentine-_sama_?"

Vincent inwardly winced at her formal address but he shook his head. "That won't be necessary. I will go meet them. Take your time, Yuffie."

"Mmm, I'll go meet up with Tifa and the others before coming downstairs," she said as she brushed her hand over his briefly.

"Very well, Valentine-_sama_. Now, Kisaragi-_sama_! Let's get you ready for ritual. You don't even have your makeup or hair done!" Chekov scolded as she ushered the young empress to the vanity.

Vincent closed the door with a quiet snap and proceeded to the grand hall. He looked down at his hands—one sheathed in metal and the other bare.

They remember the heaviness of the beige silk brocade decorated with pale blossoms and the roughness of the _obijime_. They remember the tremors of inexperience and sadness as they tucked and tied the _obi_ against the black silk _kimono_.

He lied. There was only one occasion when his mother asked for his assistance. And he hoped that it never had to be repeated.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Uh, well this took an entirely different direction from where it started. I wanted it to end happily, but it just wouldn't let me. Hopefully there'll be more cheer in the next installment: **Mid-Morning**.

Thank you for reading and reviewing!


	4. MidMorning

**Disclaimers **on the characters of Final Fantasy VII, who rightfully belong to SquareEnix, because I really don't have the money as a college student to get sued.

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><p>Mid-Morning,<p>

By Winterwing3000

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><p>It was days like this that heiress of the Wutai throne did not enjoy, not the slightest.<p>

The morning council had started off normally—meeting with the numerous provincial governors and officers, discussing potential projects to be created, addressing corruption cases among the smaller and poorer cities, and finally ending with the dismissal of anything trivial. Her father's advisors stood at her side and remained quiet throughout, which struck her as odd but not troubling. She thought that perhaps they were accepting her ruling ways at last.

Inwardly, Yuffie snorted. She should have known better.

The minute she dismissed her court and the doors to the chamber closed with a tiny click, they pounced on her with their true intentions. They held their tongue for the past two hours so that they may reserve their tongue lashing for the next hour or three in private.

She thought it was a bit strange that they did not press the matter earlier. She had announced it to them the moment she accepted the proposal and expected them to throw a large tantrum and a large list of reasons why they were against it. Instead they lay in wait for the proper moment to strike because they knew that they could find more faults in her reasoning once the right details arrived to her doorstep, which happened to be today of all things.

"Kisaragi-_sama_?" Chekov prompted from her left. The elder stared sternly at the woman. She knew that the empress' mind wandered from the topic.

"For the _third_ time, great elders," Yuffie gritted through clenched teeth, "I stand by my decision. I will not marry the heir of Isles of Wutai-do. My prince consort is and will only be Vincent Valentine of Nibelhelm."

"Think of the unification of Isles and the Mainland, my Empress," Staniv intoned in a grave voice, easily brushing her words aside. "The marriage will bring the people of one nation together after decades of separation! The Isles' denizens will be moved and they will rejoice that you are willing to accept them back to their native land. You will be revered as their empress and their heir will be their king."

"You forget, Elder Staniv, that it was originally the ruling family of the Wutai-do who decided to turn their backs against Leviathan and leave his bountiful lands for a non-descript deity that they now worship. You can't expect me to overlook their betrayal against our mighty Leviathan and welcome traitors with open arms into the hands of Da Chao," Yuffie retorted as she stared at her advisor from her seat on the throne.

Gorkii spoke up, disapproval obvious in his dark eyes. "It is the most suitable and logical match, my Lady. You cannot deny the blood that runs through the both of you is one in the same. Regardless of our differences from the past, it is O Holy Leviathan's blood which flows through our veins. To breed contempt with familiarity is looked down upon greatly. I am sure you understand."

"The ancestors of the _Souma_ did not think it was much of a crime to do so," the empress snarled, hands clenched on the armrest of the seat of Leviathan. "The only time when they will be welcomed back to the Mainland is when they fully submit to wrath of Leviathan and beg for forgiveness from Da Chao himself. And heir or not, I deem him most unworthy of the White Rose of Wutai. He has proved to be nothing short of a corrupt ruler!"

"Kisaragi-_sama_, please," Chekov reprimanded at the insinuation. Even though she felt sympathetic to her mistress' current plight, there was little she could do to dissuade the other advisors of the court. "Then let us take a look at the situation from a different angle. What does Vincent Valentine have to offer to the land of Da Chao? He knows little of our customs and has no kin from within the borders of Wutai."

"There is no law which forbids the heir from taking a foreigner as a consort," Shake added thoughtfully, but he hastily amended when Staniv shot him a glare, "But it is best if we can keep the blood pool as pure as possible."

"He is very reputable as a member of AVALANCHE and Lieutenant within the ranks of the World Regenesis Organization. He has a clean record of political affiliation, which asserts that there will be no immediate threat through him against the Empress," Chekov uttered with ease. It was only natural—Yuffie had the tendency to slip more information out than keep it in whenever she was bored out of her mind in her study. But her words rang true and gave the other elders a moment to ponder.

Betrayal of the throne would be minimal. Preservation of their ancient customs would continue. Protection for the Empress would be constant. Assistance from the other world power would be a plus.

"That might be true, but what of his background in the past? His endeavors and heroism is undeniable, but that is before the threat of Sephiroth. Therefore, it is very questionable since he was previously acquainted with ShinRa," Staniv stated solemnly.

Gorkii nodded. "As of yet, anything pertaining to ShinRa has not bode well for Wutai."

"That is the past! Vincent has no further connection with ShinRa any longer." Yuffie bristled as they spoke. "And you realize that you are in the presence of my intended consort. So I would appreciate a little more respect, great elders."

Staniv, Gorkii, and Chekov looked without a problem to the man standing next to the Empress. Shake however gulped visibly when he raised his eyes to stare at the formidable gunslinger dressed in his usual black suit and red mantle.

Vincent said nothing but he returned their stares unblinkingly. He remained quiet despite Yuffie's worried glance.

The minute that Yuffie knew that the conversation was centered on her marriage, she immediately called Vincent in from the corridor. It would be unfair of her to leave him out. A marriage took two people to make it work and she would rather be damned by Leviathan and thrown off the highest peak of Da Chao San than to leave him in the dark. Throughout the entire talk, she wondered just how he was taking to all this. He never said a word in his defense against the accusations made about him. He tried to stay out of the way whenever possible in order to make it easier for her to display her own source of power as the reigning empress. While she appreciated the effort, she wanted him to have his own voice so that he could prove his worth to her council, who at the present were obviously unimpressed.

But she knew that it wasn't easy for him to suddenly become a part of her hectic life behind the Palace walls. It had taken him a long time to move on from his past, which involved defeating the son of his former lover and to come to terms with her legacy. Even after Omega, he was still looking for his heart. It was true that he came home whole, though deep inside, Yuffie saw that he attained a peace that would be slow to grow. Despite the calls for her to return to her homeland, she was tempted to remain by his side so that she could help him nurture that peace and be with him so that he knew that there would always be someone for him to turn to.

And she did just that. She beseeched her Emperor to extend her stay with her friends in exchange for her immediate return once she felt that Vincent no longer needed her. She retained her post with the WRO and luckily, Reeve officially recruited Vincent under his reconnaissance department. Then once they started going on missions together, they grew closer and her crush grew deeper. Somewhere along the way, they began to transition over. But it was surprising that he indulged in her one-sided crush and then later for her to realize that it became a serious relationship. When she came back, she never thought that he would be the one at her side now.

He knew of her deep seeded love for Wutai. He knew that loving her meant that he would always be second in her heart, no matter what the context. And she knew that if he loved, he also loved deeply as evident with Lucrezia Crescent.

So it was too much to ask of him. To have him give up everything he only started building was too cruel. She just couldn't allow her feelings to cloud her judgment or to be selfish, even if she always preached that it was right to be so. Though he was reluctant in letting go, he accepted her decision. And for that, she didn't know if she was glad that he understood or if she was sad because he was no longer hers. But for him to come find her, to be the one to ask her, to tell her in his own way that he would give up anything just to be with her, was something that Yuffie did not take into calculation.

Before, Vincent was a person who only did things that involved his past. The fate of humanity did not concern him. Even though there were times that he rose to the occasion and came to lend a hand to a friend, he preferred his solitude so that he did not have to face anymore hurt. And now, Yuffie couldn't outright declare him as a changed man. He still required his distance, and she respected that. But there were growing changes and she was sure that there would be more to come in the future. If Vincent so willingly took the first step, she would be there at his side to walk with him for the rest of the way.

"We mean no insult to Valentine-_sama_," Gorkii coughed, "It is your future and our homeland which we are concerned of. We merely hope that you will take the right path and lead Wutai to a shining future, Kisaragi-_sama_."

"It is Godo-_sama_'s wish to see that Wutai continues to grow and return to the days of glory. He entrusted us with his final desire and we only hope to see it to the end. And in order for us to see it happen, we must realize it through you, Kisaragi-_sama_." Staniv uttered as he shifted his gaze between the two youths. "We were chosen as your advisors for that very reason. That way, we will help you cleanse the stains in our history and allow Wutai to rise from the ashes of Da Chao's fires. "

"You dare to use Godo against me?" the former princess shouted as she stood up in sharply. "First you decry my consort! And now you are insinuating that I, Kisaragi Yuffie, the White Rose of Wutai, daughter of Leviathan, will bring ruin to the people of Wutai with my decisions!"

Shake bit down on his lip, aware that the situation was spiraling out of control, and glanced out at the corner of his eyes at the older retainers. He chose to stay out of it. Chekhov sighed inwardly as there was nothing else she could do to prevent the inevitable.

"That is not our intention, my Lady," Gorkii stated, warily calculating Yuffie's reaction. Though she assumed the throne for nearly a year now, her strong will and stubbornness remained. "We would just like you to remember of Lord Godo's dreams and we hope that you will be able to fulfill them on his behalf."

"Enough! I've had enough of your audacity!" the Empress cried, grey eyes flashing with suppressed rage. "I will not change my mind. Not for you, not for Godo, not for Wutai. Vincent and I will be married, regardless if we have your blessing or not."

Staniv became disgruntled at her flaring temper. "Calm yourself, my Lady. Perhaps we should discuss this when you are calmer and more rational."

"I am more than rational. The ones who need to clear their minds is not me. I refuse to listen to this any further! The meeting is adjourned!" Yuffie declared with a glare. Her advisors held back their tongue as they knew nothing else could be said without raising a ruckus. "Shake!"

The silent retainer came forward. "Yes, Kisaragi-_sama_?"

"I will not be hosting my afternoon court. See to that the lords are aware. The next court will be tomorrow morning. You are all dismissed!" Yuffie said with finality. She raised her chin, daring her advisors to speak up against her. When they said nothing, she turned sharply and walked to the side exit.

Yuffie grabbed onto Vincent's gloved hand and tugged him along, not caring of the looks she knew her elderly advisors were giving her.

She angrily muttered under her breath, dismissing guards and servants with a short wave of her arm at every encounter. "Those old fools. I knew there was a reason why I wanted to pick new advisors. But no, Godo had to stick them on me. It's like he has to haunt and rule me, even in his death."

They finally marched into her study, where the air was still and the birds did not sing. The windows faced the south, out toward the sea which separated the Mainland Wutai and the smaller islands surrounding Wutai. The sun was reaching high into the sky and shadows drew thinner lines. A tray of freshly brewed tea was set next to the lounge chairs on the other side of the study that faced the garden.

Yuffie was pulling out the gold flower pins from her hair and nearly slammed them onto the desktop, but Vincent's gloved palm slipped in between the wood and her downward palm. He did not wince as the pins made grooves in his hand but the woman's face fell.

"I'm sorry, Vince," she uttered woefully as she dropped her hand heavily to her side. She had forgotten that Chekov styled her hair this morning with her late mother's favorite hairpins. But more than that, she was taking her frustrations out on him indirectly.

The gunslinger gently set them on the wood top. "It's of no consequence."

The Empress sighed heavily, her frustrations giving way to weariness. She slumped into her lacquered seat and looked at him with a frown. "I probably should have warned you that they would be obstinate and close-minded to a fault. Chekov might be neutral in the context, but I know on the inside, she also wishes for me to marry the other heir. It is Godo's will, after all."

Vincent came around the table and stood behind her, looking out of the window. A warm, summer breeze swept in to the room. He chose his words carefully as he asked, "Do you truly wish to proceed without their blessings? They are your elders."

"I know they are, and it is really tiresome when they refuse to see things my way because they are still stuck in their old traditional shoes," Yuffie insisted. She knew that he respected the traditions that ran in the blood of Wutai and there were many customs that she also wished to preserve despite her worldly experiences. "Why can't they just give us their blessings and let something go right for once in my life within these walls?"

"Are you unhappy, Yuffie?" he inquired somberly as he directed his garnet gaze on her.

She stood up and turned to face him properly with a sad glitter in her eyes. "Are you asking Yuffie, the _ninja_ warrior, or Yuffie, the Empress of Wutai?"

When he didn't speak, Yuffie shrugged. One of her _kimono_ shoulders slipped, baring the white of her under _kimono_. "As Yuffie, the Empress, I'm happy because I am finally seeing the fruits of my labors of my youth. Wutai is slowly changing and returning to its former glory by means of cultural fusion. I am doing what my father could not undo during his reign. My people are seeing wealth return to their lands and their homes, where times are peaceful and undisrupted by the influx of foreigners. Leviathan has come back to us with renewed hope and graced us once more with his quenching rains. I can honestly ask for nothing more but for this peacefulness and prosperity to remain with Wutai for the centuries to come.

But if you're asking Yuffie, the travelling _shinobi_, then no. I'm trapped in this bird cage, glided by flattery and duty. I can't escape it because it runs in my blood, in my father's blood, in my grandfather's, and the generations before me. My decisions are not for my own happiness, but for the happiness of others. I have to be selfless and generous, but also constantly guarded and sharp. I miss the days when I would just travel to places without a leash to my neck or a shadow behind me. It was a world of survival of the fittest, and rules were more flexible than the bamboos growing in the back courtyard. I miss the adrenaline and excitement of battle, the clear mind experience where everything is instinct driven. And most of all, I miss my friends. I miss Tifa and her killer hugs and her mothering. I miss Cloud and his funky hair and his awesome motorcycle. I miss Barret and his cool gun arm and his gung-ho attitude. I miss Cid and his stupid bag of bolts and his constant swearing. I miss Red and his furry warmth and his wisdom. I miss Reeve, heck, even Cait Sith, and his crazy ideas."

Vincent stared silently at her. "You can always visit them or ask them to come by Wutai. They were here to celebrate the _Eve of the Seven Sisters_ last time."

"It's not the same, Vincent," she told him in a voice laced with disappointment. "And I can't keep asking them to hop over on a whim every time I feel lonely. I guess I'm just really, really tired. Tired of arguing, of putting up a pretty face. Tired of playing this game of tug-of-war just so I can maintain peace between everyone."

Most of all, she was just tired of taking the brunt of all things considered. While she cared for the well-being and happiness of others, who was there to take care of hers?

Sighing, Yuffie slumped onto her table, cradling her head between her arms. She closed her eyes wearily. She understood that the Four Gods were merely doing their job in following her father's will. She also knew that they considered it as the best for her well-being. And if she were given the best, then Wutai in turn would also be bequeathed with nothing short of that. But the only thing was, she did not wish for any of it.

She'd rather lose her head than to have something handed to her on a silver platter. She wanted to make her own decisions and face the consequences, good or bad. It would make her strong in the eyes of her people and also in her own eyes. There was also no joy in gaining something that she did not put her effort in. Like in the past, when she hunted for materia. Thievery it might have been, but it was through her quick thinking and skills as a trained ninja. She remembered the giddiness each piece of materia gave her as it meant that she was once step closer to restoring her homeland. And she missed it dearly, that feeling.

"Yuffie." She felt Vincent stand next to her, his hand carefully placed on her back.

She grunted without lifting her head. "Hm?"

His hand stroked the short hairs at the nape of her neck. "Let us go."

"Where?" she said. She was sure her speech was muffled, but Vincent most likely understood her as he answered, "To see our friends."

With her interest piqued, Yuffie turned her head to the side so that she showed him a side profile. "Now?"

Vincent mulled on that and then nodded without hesitation. "If that is what you wish."

Her first thought was 'yes' but an afterthought drew her hopes down. She couldn't leave unannounced. It would leave Wutai defenseless and the court would be prone to political attacks, something that it could not handle just as its recovery was in the power transition phase. So she shook her head. "We can't. _I_ can't."

"You can," the gunslinger replied firmly. "Chekhov will understand. She can handle things in your stead during your leave."

Still the Empress was uncertain. She sat up and started to count down the important tasks at hand. "She can, but there still so much left to be finished. There's the dinner tonight and then the meeting about the seaport trade tariff tomorrow afternoon. Not to mention I have to ent-!"

The dark-haired man pressed a finger against her lips, silencing her effectively. "Trust Chekov. Now, go pack. I will call Cid now and have him get us from the forest, past the walls."

Yuffie narrowed her eyes at him. "Are you giving me orders?"

"And what if I am?" Vincent raised a brow eloquently.

Seeing a different side of him made Yuffie interested in rebuffing him more than acquiescing but he pulled her up to her feet before anything else was said. He nudged her lightly toward the doorway. "Go. You can think of your evil punishments later, Kisaragi_-hime_."

Ooh, how she hated the way he called her that with his deep voice. It was undeniable, his roots to Wutai. Huffing, the small woman lifted her chin high as she walked past him. Just before she made it out to the corridor, Yuffie turned back.

"You will be severely punished, Valentine-_sama_. This Empress promises you that!" she declared as she pointed her finger at him in emphasis. Then she turned and took off to the bedroom with a gleeful smile upon her lips. It widened just a bit more when she heard the faint chuckles from the room.

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> To start off, I did not realize that Shake was a female until late, but Shake has always been male in my stories. So I'll be keeping it that way. I'm too lazy to change it, so maybe when it finally irks me in the future, I will do it. On the other hand, this was most interesting to write but again, it did not go in the direction I hoped for. For some reason, I can't follow through with my plans for each chapter even though I insist that it must. Ah well, there's always the next chapter: **Midday**.

Thank you for reading and reviewing!


	5. Midday

**Disclaimers **on the characters of Final Fantasy VII, who rightfully belong to SquareEnix, because I really don't have the money as a college student to get sued.

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><p>Midday,<p>

By Winterwing3000

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><p>The cool debris of the pews and roofing lay about. The strong stone columns stood tall, maintaining the structure of the building. Some decorative chandeliers hung undisturbed above their heads. A large expanse of green grass mixed with yellow and white lilies gave a colorful burst to the gray and brown of the walls and floors. The pool of magic rippled softly underneath the generous swath of sunlight pouring from the open roof.<p>

Long forgotten echoes of church bells rang clearly and the song of the souls passed rose in chorus as the ceremony proceeded under the beautifully blue sky. The mismatched members of AVALANCHE stood on opposite sides facing each other, divided by gender.

Barret had his hand clasped on top of Denzel's shoulders, as the boy watched his adoptive parents with wide eyes. Yuffie held onto Marlene's hand as the young girl tried not to fidget from excitement. Vincent stood a few steps behind Cloud. Cid, Shera, Reeve, Red XIII, Cait Sith, and Shelke rounded out the group as the main audience. Everyone stared in a hush as the sermon continued, soon reaching its climax.

"I now declare you husband and wife. Mr. Strife, you may kiss your bride," the marriage officiator of Edge pronounced with a wizen smile.

Tifa lowered her head slightly as Cloud gently lifted the traditional white veil over her brown tresses. The couple came together and sealed their promise and future together in a sweet kiss. Cheers and applause echoed in the airy church of Aerith. The flowers of the church swayed and the tinkle of metallic bangles participated in the celebratory mood. A hearty chuckle swept through them and they were alone again.

The newly wedded couple smiled at their friends and began the march sans music out to the entrance of the old church. A sudden wind blew the fallen petals into a light bout to escort the wedding party out. Vincent, who attended as Cloud's best man, offered his arm to the maid of honor, Yuffie.

The ninja smiled widely and took his elbow with a short flourish before eagerly tugging him after Tifa and Cloud. Garnet eyes traced over her breathtaking silver-lavender dress, which accented her eyes. He wore a simple tux with a purple boutonniere and a silver vest. The motley crew was neatly dressed as well, all enthusiastic for the happy occasion.

This morning was a flurry of skirts and flowers for the women and jackets and cufflinks for the men. It wasn't hard to keep the bride and the groom from encountering each other as everyone but the bridal party boarded the airship Shera and Cloud took Fenrir alone to the church. During the ceremony, when Tifa was escorted down the aisle by Barret toward the groom, all pairs of eyes turned to her.

Dressed in a breathtaking romantic ivory lace dress befitting of her voluptuous figure, even Vincent had to admit that Tifa was nothing short of an elegant and classic beauty. He could only smirk as he watched Cloud's usually calm expression morphed into something akin to awe. But then, the gunslinger allowed his ruby eyes stray from the beautiful bride to the woman on the other side of the makeshift altar.

Yuffie did not take much convincing to wear the dress picked out by Tifa. She claimed that she would wear it for Tifa and for Aerith. And because it wasn't everyday that her best friend was married, so it was about damn time that she wore a western dress. Vincent was slightly shocked when she stepped out of the bride's room but inwardly applauded Tifa's choice. The dress flowed over her figure in an appreciative manner.

Though it was different to see his fiancée in a wedding dress of the Continent, he would not deny that he had wondered how she would look in a traditional wedding dress. He had yet to see her dressed in anything other than her traveling garb, which always consisted of the shortest of shorts and skimpiest of shirts, or her Wutai clothing, which alternated from extremely formal to somewhat casual. It almost brought a smirk to his lips as he imagined her reaction about the heaviness and restrictiveness of the white gown. She most likely would insist on having high slits at the side for the ease of movement or wear shorts underneath.

A wedding dress… Holding back a frown, Vincent shielded his eyes the minute he stepped out of the old church. The only thing that was preventing his imagination from being reality was back in Wutai.

Outside, the married pair was already waiting at the large motorcycle, Fenrir. Yuffie flew down the steps with practiced ease in the short heels in order to help Tifa arrange her wedding gown train as the bride sat behind the groom on the vehicle. Vincent remained at the foot of the steps, joined by their comrades, including a well-pregnant Shera. Denzel, Marlene, and Shelke gathered round the motorcycle as well, speaking with Tifa and Cloud. Yuffie occasionally jumped in, causing the younger ones to giggle and for Shelke to have a quizzical look on her face.

The gunslinger recalled their surprise when they arrived at Seventh Heaven. Cloud had proposed to Tifa just days before and they did not want an extravagant wedding. So they decided to just have a simple gathering of friends with the officiator. Yuffie had been ecstatic at their wonderful news, to the point that she nearly squeezed Cloud to meet the maker. It was relieving to see that she was back to her carefree self, even if only for their short getaway from Wutai's royal court.

The wedding plans were simple. It was immediately decided that they would be married at Aerith's church and then return to Seventh Heaven, where a catering service would provide for the reception. As soon as the late lunch was over, the couple would head to their long weekend honeymoon at Costa del Sol.

In the rush of the wedding planning, Vincent observed the way Yuffie's eyes grew bright as she chattered excitedly with Tifa and the way a mischievous smile occasionally made its way across her lips. He and Cloud wisely sat back as the two women discussed things from food, to flowers, to colors, to dresses, and they never spoke unless Tifa asked for an input. Yuffie grinned cattily when Tifa asked Cloud about their honeymoon plans and Vincent could only watch in amusement as a horrified and dismayed look came upon Cloud. Vincent almost pitied the way their leader withered upon the bright gaze of Tifa and sly stare of Yuffie and stammered a suitable answer.

Though he stepped aside during the day for Yuffie to bond with their friends, Vincent always made it clear that once Tifa cleared up the bar for her evening shift, it was their time together. And it was during those times, when just the two of them sat through the nightly bar service in a secluded corner, did he spy a glimmer of longing in those ash colored eyes of hers. Yuffie's eyes constantly wandered about Seventh Heaven, seeking out certain groups of people, and then they dropped to the table top to take in the prismatic shine of her pearl ring.

It did not take very long for Vincent to realize the reasons for those feelings reflected in her eyes.

It had been close to half a year since he last proposed to her, on the bridge during the festival. And within that half a year, just when they thought their day of union grew closer, it was taken away at the last moment by the Four Gods of the Pagoda.

He understood that the Gods had no malicious agenda against his match to Yuffie. They merely believed that the last wishes of the late Emperor Godo should be honored. What mattered was the preservation and purity of the Kisaragi bloodline. Yuffie told him once that it was rare to adopt one who was not of the_ Shinobi_ or of the _Wusheng_ into the royal family.

Yuffie's mother was previously the eighth daughter and one of the many heiress of the _Souma_, the ruling clan of the Isles of Wutai-do. Yuffie's father, Godo, had rescued her during his trip out to the sea bridging the two nations when her small boat capsized from the rough waves. She was honorably adopted (more like _traded_, Yuffie retorted with a bitter taste in her mouth) into the Wutai royal family. Her battle skills did not fall short of the other _kunoichi_ in the Kisaragi clan, which only bolstered her position to officially enter the Kisaragi house through her marriage to Godo.

From her stories, it did not seem hard for Vincent to pass the tests required of him in order to be inducted into the clan. Battle skill was a requirement, as was simple political chores and meetings with the provincial lords and governors. Yuffie told him once that as the prince consort, he did not need to be involved to the court and was only to be a presence during formal occasions, which he was fine with. He preferred to stay away from the tug-of-war and the two-faced mask constantly worn by diplomats and those of high positions. But it was most likely his bloodline which prevented the Four Gods from fully accepting him. He was, after all, a half-breed. Even so, he knew that he was a good candidate to be the prince consort to their Empress despite his mix lineage, and he was sure that they were clear on that as well.

To him, it truly did not matter what they thought. He knew of Yuffie's feelings for him and that was enough for him.

At least, that was what he thought at first.

But something within him grew. It gnawed at him, creating a bigger chasm that could not be filled with just her feelings. He knew it required something else in order to forever close that gap. It needed Yuffie. And the only way he knew to attain her was to have her be his. But even if he desired it, she could no longer. She whisked herself away to the walls of Wutai and he respected that. She had her duty to fulfill and who was he to steal her from that?

And so, his proposal to her came after long and mediated rest at his small apartment in Kalm.

Kalm was quicker to rebuild in comparison to Midgar. Its denizens returned due to the work provided from the Mythril Mines and the small town bustled with life once again after the DeepGround invasion. It was livelier and tourists trickled in during the cooling autumn.

He wasn't sure what he was going to do but his lull didn't last long. He slipped into routine and went out to find a job in the back of house of armor shop. Occasionally he would be at the store front, he watched the passerby from the window. There were the elderly, the youths, and the ones in between. They went in groups, in pairs, alone, or with a four-legged companion.

Each that walked by had a smile on their faces, an evidence of their happiness. And as he wondered if he was fated to have such a thing, a familiar feeling weighed in his heart.

Though brief, he remembered the moments he shared with Yuffie during their stay at Seventh Heaven. The unwitting start of their unannounced relationship possibly started that night after the mission, or perhaps even before that. He remembered their interactions throughout the fight against DeepGround and the Tsviets. The way she became flustered so easily aboard the Shadowfox brought a smirk to his lips.

The progression was as smooth as it could possibly be between a hyperactive ninja slash Empress in-the-making and a former Turk turned demon-host. They butted heads on occasion but also had many laughs and good feelings in midst.

It was different, Vincent noted, compared to his pursuit of Lucrezia. In his time spent with the older woman, he realized that he was less experienced and always reacted hastily. He was not timid in expressing his feelings fully but would give up his own feelings in order to see her live happily. He did not realize at the time that Lucreciza would not do the same for him, despite her saving him with the Protomateria. But once the Omega battle ended, he knew that her feelings fell short of his because she could only carry regret.

On the other hand, his relationship with Yuffie took on another dynamic.

She was unafraid to show him her feelings, pestering him so that he would draw out his for her. Time and time again, she emphasized that it was okay to be selfish as long as the outcome benefited both parties. It was a risk that she willingly took, knowing that he could possibly reject her and burn her into pieces. But with Yuffie, he was more guarded as he reciprocated her feelings. He took the time to immerse himself in the things she shared with him, giving her equal parts of him in steps and pieces. And soon, he realized that she held every part of him but one whereas he had all that she was.

It was his life.

Would he die for her?

Before they were anything but comrades on the same mission to rid the world of the evil known as Sephiroth, he had her back as she had his. Did that meant he would die for her? Probably not. He would go through great lengths to ensure her safety so that they may all survive the battle though. They were comrades-in-arms, and nothing more. During the conquest of DeepGround, Yuffie rescued him from the clutch of Rosso the Crimson at ShinRa Manor. He later returned the favor as he saved her from Nero's darkness.

When they first started their relationship, his answer gradually became yes. He promised himself that he would be her protector, her friend, and her lover. But as they spent more time together, he began to lose confidence in his answer. Would he really give up his life, in exchange for hers? Her bright smile, which reached her curved eyes, forced him to reconsider.

No, no, he would not die for her, Vincent decided finally. It might be selfish of him, but if he were to die, he would never see her smile. He would not be there to give her the happiness she deserved. There could be another who could make her smile, who could give her the same happiness.

But, he wanted to be selfish.

"Yuffie," Vincent called to her lowly, pulling her attention from the departing couple.

Fenrir's engine hummed eagerly for the dusty road home. The large beastly vehicle took off without a second glance from its riders. This roused more cheers from friends and a wolf whistle from Cait sith. Tifa's veil and train fluttered like a white wisp of cloud as the married couple disappeared from their sight.

With the main event over, their friends made their way to the former battle airship, which was parked nearby the ruins past the church. The ninja woman turned to her fiancée while Nanaki casted a look over his shoulder in curiosity.

An understanding passed between their held gaze. Then Yuffie smiled reassuringly at her four-legged companion. "We'll be right behind you guys, Red! Just let Cid know not to take off without us!"

The red-coated beast nodded, the ornaments in his hair clinking together. "Of course. Come soon."

Yuffie stood, half facing Red who was walking away and half facing Vincent who was approaching her side. She smiled brilliantly at him and hugged his gauntlet-covered arm. "What is it, handsome?"

He stared down at her, his vermillion eyes outlining every line and curve of her face. At his observation, her smile persisted and possibly widened from his long attention. That smile, one that she shared so generously and genuinely, was what he wanted so desperately to protect and keep for as long as she let him. It represented her happiness, and he was willing to devote himself to bring her that for the rest of his life.

No, he wanted to be the only one to bring her that smile of happiness for the rest of their lives.

"Vincent?" The Empress' eyes became narrowed with worry. She lifted her hand and cupped his cheek. Her thumb rubbed soothingly across his cheekbone. "Are you okay?"

"Yuffie," he repeated, catching her wrist in his bare hand. He pressed a kiss on her inner wrist. The woman stepped closer to him, wrapping her free arm around his waist as his metal-sheathed hand settled at her waist.

Like the last time, he did not hesitate.

"Marry me, Yuffie."

"Yes," Yuffie answered naturally with a smile. But she then stared at him in confusion. "Are you worried that we won't get married? I'm sorry. I'm sure the Four Gods will relent soon. I'll make sure of it, once I get-!"

Without warning Vincent kissed her senseless, making sure that he channeled his desire to protect, to cherish, to share, and to claim her as his. She responded with equal enthusiasm and pulled his face closer to hers with her hand. Breathlessly, they pulled away. Yuffie had her eyes closed, and he knew she was savoring the intensity of the moment.

Pressing his forehead against hers, he released a ragged breath. "Let us be married, with or without their blessings."

The woman gasped at the meaning behind his words. Her eyes flew open and connected with his. "You mean…?"

The gunslinger nodded firmly. "Let us elope."

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> Heh, finally, something turned out right! Well, kind of. Anyway, I'm really excited to work on the next installment! Much reflection abound!See you in the next chapter: **After-Noon**.

Thank you for reading and reviewing!


	6. After Noon

**Disclaimers **on the characters of Final Fantasy VII, who rightfully belong to SquareEnix, because I really don't have the money as a college student to get sued.

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><p>After-Noon,<p>

By Winterwing3000

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><p>"Ah! I've never been so excited to see a hotel bed in my life," Yuffie exclaimed as she dumped her traveling bag by the dresser and flopped onto the lumpy bed. She peeked at her traveling companion to see him set his bag at the foot of the bed and sat down next to her when she patted at the spot.<p>

For some reason, she insisted that they take the water route after a couple of days walk to Junon in order to reach Golden Saucer. And from there, they trekked through the Nibel Mountains before reaching Nibelheim, a village now revitalized under Reeve's encouragement and attention. Despite getting ridiculously seasick and dry heaving through most of it since she refused to take any tranquilizers, Yuffie remembered just why she missed traveling aimlessly across the Continent. Her inner wander bug was fully released and she soaked in every minute of the journey. And having Vincent with her added a bounce in her step. Though they did not come across any monsters or beasties for her to stretch her much needed muscles.

Yuffie pouted. It's been a long time since she had the chance to experience the thrill of actual battle. Her spars with the Four Gods and even Vincent could only do so much to get her blood pumping.

Speaking of blood pumping, she couldn't stop the red from going to her ears now that she remembered the reason for their coming to the desolate town.

Marriage was a big step. It was something that she thought she would be vehemently preventing during her youth, but in time, she embraced it as a part of her duty to her country because along the way, it really was one of the only ways she could lead Wutai back to its former glory by her hands. But when the proposal came from Vincent Valentine—the man who she believed could never take this step without sacrificing all that he previously was—the idea of marriage seemed more desirable.

A big part of it had to do with the fact that they formerly had a relationship before her coronation. She knew him for what he was and what he became, and she hoped that he understood her as well. He was not a stranger, not a random name on a list of prospective males. He was a comrade, a friend, and a lover. Granted, there were other members who could fall under most of the same categories. Reeve was a prime example. The man was knowledgeable in the world's latest technology, was single-handedly running the World Regenesis Organization, and was a good man that she willingly worked for. He was a background savior during Sephiroth's menace. A hailed member of AVALANCHE.

But he was not Vincent. There was also Cloud, but he was a taken man now and it was a rule in her own book to never, ever, be involved with any claimed man. She may be a thief of materia and all things shiny, but she did not steal men of friends.

She scrunched her nose at the thought of Reeve or Cloud shape-shifting into the red-clad man. In fact, there was probably no one on the entire Gaia who could so perfectly imitate the trademark gloominess, hunched shoulders, and eerily silence of the sharpshooter even after intensive classes and hours of practice. Nope, definitely not, she decided.

Even if they were cloned to the point of identical, they would still lack the one thing that made him Vincent. And that was his past.

It was a major catalyst, as it shaped him to the person he was today, to the man that she agreed to spend the rest of her life with. He was in love, then in despair, and finally back in love. His experience changed parts of him that he eventually came to accept and that Yuffie gradually learned to love.

Rolling over to her side, she noticed that Vincent settled down and was fiddling to his triple-barrel revolver Cerberus. He looked at her with a curious eye and she only smiled widely in return before turning to rest her head on his thigh. As his claw-tipped hand combed lightly through her hair, Yuffie purred contently and closed her eyes in contemplation.

Somewhere deep inside, she couldn't believe that it was finally going to happen. Even if she wasn't going to take on the name Valentine, it felt good to know that she could finally be bound to the man who was going to share the rest of her life with. With him at her side, she knew that almost anything could be overcome and accomplished.

The faces of the Four Gods suddenly flashed in her mind's eye.

Well, perhaps not everything, she amended in her mind. Yuffie bit down on her tongue to hold back a groan of disappointment. She wondered if she should be feeling so torn between what she desired and what her advisers wanted for her. Usually it was what Yuffie wanted, Yuffie got. She did not have worry too much about repercussions of the future. Yet, this was about her future and that of Wutai.

The tradition of Wutai stated that the elders of her kin would know what was best for her future and therefore held the right of deciding it for her. Normally, marriages were arranged for the heir at birth. The heir's astronomical readings were matched against the children of the court officials, and once the matchmaker found the most harmonious readings, the marriage was set and sealed. At Yuffie's birth, her mother declined the offers of arranged marriages for her daughter, telling them that Leviathan came to her in a dream. Within the dream, she was told that Yuffie was destined for a future which involved the entire Gaia and therefore, could not be tied down by such a responsibility.

But with her return to her home country, she no longer had that excuse. When Godo pressed her about finding a suitable husband, she turned a deaf ear. Now that she faced against the Four Gods, the only reason that Yuffie had fought off her arranged marriage was because of her parents. She constantly rebuffed her elders during her youth by using her parents' special case.

Her father easily broke off his engagement and took her mother as his wife. Their marriage was originally decided to improve the relationship between Wutai and Isles of Wutai-do, but Yuffie felt that part of it was to allow Wutai to gain more control over the Isles.

Even so, if her father could do it, why couldn't she break off the engagement? She should have the choice to decide who was to be her prince consort. Everyone else on the Continent did. Arranged marriages were a thing of the past, and she was pretty sure that it was close to non-existent nowadays. She snorted. Well, that matter aside, she had other things to worry about, like finding a dress for the special occasion. She might be averse to wearing most of the time, but that did not mean she didn't enjoy dressing up once in a while.

One of her grey eyes peeked open, focusing on his jaw line. "Hey Vincent? Do you know if there are any boutiques?"

"I haven't been to Nibelheim since I left with Cloud and the others on the journey to fight against Sephiroth. I believe that Cloud and Tifa might be more familiar with the town since they did come by once after it was rebuilt. Are you sure you don't wish to go somewhere more appropriate? Maybe a village in Wutai, far from the capital city?" Vincent asked her.

Yawning, she stretched her arms above her head and sat up. With a bright smile and an unusual gleam in her eyes, she replied, "No, here is fine. Because this is the place where we first met! It's very special!"

He stared at her for a moment longer, but she remained unaffected. She knew what he was trying to do, but she won't have it. Yuffie reached over and covered his hands with hers. She stared at him. On the inside, she knew that it was selfish of her to be asking him of this because even though it was special to her, there were horrible memories for him here.

"It's okay Vincent. I want it to be here. Don't you?" She watched him ponder on her question. His ruby eyes were riddled with emotions as he formulated an answer.

She couldn't stop the worry from bubbling inside her. Maybe she shouldn't have insisted that they come here. Maybe she should have considered Vincent's feelings more about the location. There were too many ill times here for him to enjoy the happiness of their affair. Maybe they should really just go to somewhere more appropriate. Somewhere like Costa del Sol where the weather was sunny and warm or even Kalm where Vincent originally stayed before moving to Wutai.

But Costa del Sol was out of question, since the last thing she wanted to do was interrupt Cloud and Tifa's honeymoon. Also, to go back to Kalm meant that she had to endure another trip on the waters, and she would not look forward to ingesting anymore tranquilizers.

Her head bowed the deeper she thought. Maybe she was still too immature in her behavior, as the Four Gods constantly reminded her. Maybe Vincent was starting to see that in her and wanted out of this. Her hands unconsciously clenched tighter on his, especially as Vincent continued to think.

The woman became startled when his hands pulled away from hers. She waited with a bated breath as Vincent stood up with his back to her.

"Vincent?" Fear thudded in her heart now as he continued to be unresponsive. Was this it?

His amber eyes stared straight ahead to the curtains. A beat later, his shoulders relaxed and Yuffie almost sighed in relief when he finally faced her. He offered his claw to her and taking it, she stood up next to him. She said his name again. "Vincent, are you upset?"

Vincent shook his head. "No, I'm not upset Yuffie. Your concern is appreciated, but I am fine. You are correct to say that this is a special place, to the both of us. I don't mind coming here."

Taking his words to heart, she smiled at him. With a bounce, she rocked on the soles of her feet as she grinned. "So what do you want to do first?"

"Let's see if there are any tailors in town," he replied.

Yuffie tugged him toward the door, her playful words made him smile. "I can't wait to see what you look like in a penguin suit with tailcoats, bowties, and all."

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> I apologize if this felt shorter than the other chapters, but I thought it was a good turning point. I hope to get in one more update before classes resume, so please look forward to the next chapter: **Evening**.

Thank you for reading and reviewing! And Happy Holidays!


	7. Evening

**Disclaimers **on the characters of Final Fantasy VII, who rightfully belong to SquareEnix, because I really don't have the money as a college student to get sued.

_**Happy One Year Anniversary**__ to this story. Yuffentine forever! And Happy New Year to all._

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><p>Evening,<p>

By Winterwing3000

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><p>The events blurred together for them as the evening passed.<p>

After they both bought their attires, Vincent scheduled an appointment with the local officiator for their wedding ceremony. The officiator was a middle aged woman who looked knowingly between the two and told them that they could come any time before midnight.

With a bounce in her step, Yuffie skipped ahead of him and peered curiously into the windows of the shopping street. The gunslinger watched the woman as she suddenly turned on her sole and grinned widely at him.

She waited as he came to her side before she pointed at the window. "I think we forgot something, Vince!"

He barely had the chance to read the gold letters painted on the storefront plaque before he was dragged in the store. It was a jewelry store.

An elderly man sat behind the counter made of bulletproof glass. He readjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose before waddling off the high stool he was on. "Welcome to my store, what can I do for you both this evening?"

Before the bride-to-be could say anything, Vincent spoke up first. "We will be married soon and we are looking for rings."

The owner smiled and came over to the other end of the counter, while waving them to follow him. "I believe the rings you are looking for will be down here. If you are looking for something customized, it will take at least two days to complete. But if you see anything you like, any readjustments can be done within two or so hours."

"We'll stick with something simple, because we only have about a few hours before our appointment at the town hall," Yuffie told the owner. She stared intently at the variously fashioned rings before her.

"Hmm." The shopkeeper looked first at Vincent before at Yuffie. "Is there a price point that you would like to stick to then?"

"Two thousand gil for both rings, if possible," the dark-haired man replied as he discretely eyed the gold and silver rings on display. Wedding rings were customary to those of the Continent, and not to Wutai. He was not surprised that Yuffie was enamored with the idea of exchanging wedding bands since he explained to her the significance of a ring.

"Of course. This one is one of the simpler designs with a hint of elegance. Also, it comes in a pair, made in mind for couples. Or maybe you would like this one with a few decorative crystals set into the bridge of the rings. The crystals can be easily changed to your preferred stone if the one isn't to your liking," the grandfatherly man told them as he pulled two trays of rings on top of the counter.

Yuffie picked up one of each recommended rings and faced Vincent with them. "Which one do you like better?"

Vincent smiled lightly from behind his high collar. "Whichever you choose is fine with me, so long as you are happy with it."

The _shinobi_ rolled her eyes and sighed. "Vincent, you realize that I want you to be happy with it too. So pick."

The gunslinger nodded and carefully examined the metal bands presented to him. It didn't take long for him to select one. He plucked it from the cushioned tray and held it up for closer inspection. It was a solid gold ring with two thinner silver bands running at the edges.

The store owner hummed at his choice. "That is a classic ring, but it is harder to set diamonds or gems because of how it is designed."

"It is fine the way it is," Vincent said as he handed the ring over to the other man. Two small boxes were pulled out from under the counter. His ring was set into one of them. Meanwhile Yuffie browsed through her assortment.

"I like this one," she stated. In her fingers, she held a gold ring that had a several small diamonds embedded across the bridge. It was much thinner in comparison to Vincent's ring, but it was sleekly fashioned. "And I don't think it'll need any more gems on it."

"Very nice choice, miss," the jeweler said politely as he placed her ring into the other box. "Would you like anything else? Otherwise, I would like to take some measurements to size the rings properly."

His fiancée looked up at him in question. Vincent shook his head so Yuffie smiled brightly at the owner. "I guess we're good."

"Of course," the elderly said as he returned the trays of rings back into the display case. He reached behind him and took out his measurement sample rings and first had Yuffie slide on several rings to determine her ring size. When it came to his turn, Vincent noticed Yuffie eyeing the owner cautiously as if waiting for any visible sign of surprise. Instead, the shopkeeper merely rubbed his chin in thought before grabbing measuring tape. From there, he took several numbers from Vincent's claw.

"Alright, I should be able to have it to you within two hours. I'll make sure that your ring will fit you perfectly, sir," the shopkeeper told them as he rang up the register. "That will be one thousand and sixty three gil for the two rings and two hundred and twenty five gil for readjustments and customization fee. So your total is one thousand eight hundred fifty-five gil."

Before he could pull out his money, Yuffie nudged him aside and paid for the rings. When he looked at her in surprise, she only winked at him and led him out the store with a quick thank you and wave to the owner.

Once outside, Vincent did not hold back his protest. "Yuffie, you did not have to pay for it."

They walked together down the quiet street. She merely brushed off his words. "Vincent, you paid for my wedding dress and your tuxedo, even though we promised that we'd pay for each other's clothing. So to stop you from spoiling me, I pay for the rings and we can call it even. Now, let's go eat! I'm starving!"

The tall man could only shake his head at her logic. While it was true that he might have _accidentally_ paid for her dress when she was changing, he most definitely did not expect her to think of it as 'spoiling her'. But he knew that she had her pride and it was also her way of laying down the rule that they were equals and every burden should be shared.

* * *

><p>Vincent stared at the image before him, reflected from the tall standing mirror of the small changing room. There were only a few moments before the ceremony and he and Yuffie were directed to different rooms in order to change into their respective attires.<p>

Upon Yuffie's insistence, he had tried on two different tuxedos—a black one and a white one. In the end, he chose the white one for two reasons. Firstly, the black suit looked too similar to his suit during his days as a Turk. The other reason was that he felt it paid tribute to Yuffie's honorific title of being "The Single White Rose of Wutai".

It had only been a week since he was dressed formally and at that time he did not feel particularly as strange. Rather than strange, he believed that a better word for the turmoil within right now was nervous. Yet, he could not fully label it as nervousness either as he had witnessed what true nervousness was like through Cloud before his wedding ceremony. Perhaps the best word to describe it was mystified.

Did he envision himself to ever walk down the path of marriage after the tragedy that befell Lucrecia? No, he did not honestly consider starting a romantic relationship with anyone else after failing to protect his first love. He failed at the mission of protecting that woman, and he swore that he would forever repent for that sin. He believed himself doomed and was never meant to love another. That was until Yuffie hopped upon his coffin and blatantly called him a vampire.

He did not love her then and he did not see her having any feelings for him then either. They were acquaintances, then comrades, then friends, and then more. Their relationship progressed in the most unusual way because he did not think that he could ever make peace with Lucrecia yet Yuffie was there and persisted to nourish that budding light within him that slowly erased the painfulness of his past. He was not blind to her feelings during their battle with DeepGround and he tried to delicately avoid the issue until the fight was over. He knew better the second time around that all matters must be settled first before any progress or conversation about her feelings should be made.

After his reconciliation with Lucrecia, he welcomed the lightness in his heart and the clarity of his mind. He adjusted to his new life slowly—one without demons and one surrounded by friends that he never had before. Yuffie and her feelings ebbed and seeped and full out bled into the days that he passed at Seventh Heaven in Edge. She lavished him with her affections and never really asked for anything in return. But he only realized it at the end that without asking, she already stole his being and filled it with her quirks and smiles to the brim.

"Hey Vincent? Are you finished changing?" Vincent looked over his shoulder to the door and went to open it. He could not prevent his eyes from widening in amazement at the figure they fell on.

Yuffie wore a nervous smile as he examined her silently and her hands fidgeted behind her back. A pearl white strapless dress hugged her upper body before flaring out with an asymmetrical skirt at her waistline. The front of her dress ended just above her knees and the back trailed with a small train. She donned a birdcage veil accented with several white rose blossoms and freshwater pearls, paying homage to her title with the flowers. She managed to gather her hair into a simple knot behind her left ear, just underneath the roses.

Vincent felt his lips twitch when he looked down at her feet. Her shoes were reminiscent of her lace-up converse sneakers only that they were white in color and ended about mid-calf. Also, they had a slightly taller heel than he remembered because it gave her an additional two or so inches, give or take.

Yuffie huffed in embarrassment when he lifted his eyes from her feet and a telltale smirk appeared on his face. She stuck her tongue out as she crossed her arms defensively across her chest. Her left arm almost crushed the small bouquet of red roses in her right hand. "I liked them okay? And they match my dress."

His smirk softened to a sincere smile. "You look beautiful, Yuffie."

An endearing blush streaked across the bridge of her nose and she sniffed haughtily in an attempt to disguise her elation at his words. "But of course! I am the Single White Rose of Wutai. And you look quite handsome, for a vampire that is."

Shaking his head once at his comment, he stepped out of the dressing room and closed the door behind him. Then he offered her his arm. "Shall we go?"

The Empress held her breath and looked from the crook of his arm up to his unwavering red gaze. Her tension melted and a smile that he hoped to see for many years later shone brightly on her face.

With the grace and proud air worthy of a country's ruler, Yuffie set her hand upon his inner elbow and lifted her chin. Vincent glanced once more at her, soaking in the very details of her person, and then he looked forward.

Now that both their eyes were set before them, they took measured steps to the future that they longed for together.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> This was a bit different from the other chapters, so I hope you forgive me for writing two scenes when it is usually just one. From my schedule, it seems that I won't be able to work on this as often the next six months. But I promise to work on it every free minute I might have and I hope I'll be able to return to update this story soon. So please wait eagerly for the next chapter: **Sunset**.

Thank you for reading and reviewing! Your support is most wonderful and appreciated.


	8. Sunset

**Disclaimers **on the characters of Final Fantasy VII, who rightfully belong to SquareEnix, because I really don't have the money as a college student to get sued.

Sunset,

By Winterwing3000

* * *

><p>When the festive mood lulled into a warm silence, the servants and maids of the Kisaragi household came together and began cleaning up the grand hall. The Four Gods of the Pagoda bid their Empress and newly named Prince a good night and retired to their homes. As the palace fell into darkness of the night, the streets of the common folk were still lit brightly by red lanterns and gold firecrackers. The people of Wutai continued with the celebrations as Yuffie and Vincent climbed the steps to their living quarters.<p>

In silence, they each took turns to change behind the _shouji_ screen.

Yuffie was glad to shed the heavy cream colored wedding _kimono_. The _obi_ and multiple layers were made of the finest silk that the _kimono_ master had harvested this year and for most of the night, she bore the weight and withheld her complaints. It was a magnificent work of art and she highly appreciated the effort that the master put in. Also, it was the first and last time that she was ever going to wear such a thing so she savored it as much as she could.

Similarly, Vincent donned a long black overcoat with a _kimono_ underneath and striped _hakama_. On the lapels and at the back of his overcoat, a white six-petal flower enclosed by a hexagon was sewn. It was the Kisaragi family crest, though normally, it should be Vincent's family crest instead. Yuffie ordered the historians to trace Vincent's lineage on his mother's side and they learned that his ancestors were of Wutai origins. They did not hold any power in the Royal Court, but they were inn keepers of a small village in the northern region. As commoners, they did not have a family crest. Furthermore, since Yuffie was adopting Vincent into the Kisaragi clan, it was only normal that he wore her family's crest.

Once they both were dressed in more casual clothing, Yuffie called up a servant to bring up some light snacks and drinks as they set about to relax for the rest of the night.

"I didn't think you would come to Wutai," she admitted to him as they sat back and stared up at the clear skies from the second floor veranda. An elegant flask of Wutai's finest plum wine sat on a small tray between them and it nestled between two plain but earthy toned wine dishes. The long wisps of her hair brushed against her cheeks.

Vincent looked over at her, and then took a sip of the wine. "Why did you think that?"

Yuffie folded her hair behind her ear and knocked back the entire dish of liquor. She rolled the wine in her mouth before she swallowed it with an audible gulp. "Ah, well, it's really silly. Forget that I said anything. You should drink more, Vinnie! This is really good!"

"I'm sure that it is," he deadpanned as she poured herself another dish of the drink and threw it back as if it were water. Yuffie stuck her tongue out at him before pouring some more. This time, she held it in her hand and sniffed the delicate fragrance of fermented plums.

She knew he knew of her high tolerance. After all, she was introduced to the world of spirits when she was training as a ninja. It was an old teaching for undercover missions since the last thing an undercover agent wanted was to pass out from consuming too much alcohol.

"Yuffie," Vincent intoned gently as he tried to prod an appropriate answer from the former princess.

She gave him a sidelong glance before smiling daringly. "You drink, I talk. Fair?"

Her husband snorted but lifted the ceramic dish and took another sip. She licked her own lips when the wine left a light sheen on his lips. But she cleared her throat before he caught her staring and looked down at her own drink. She lightly swirled the liquid in the dish as she answered his former question. "I was jealous and insecure, I guess?"

"Jealous?" The gunslinger's eyes were clouded with confusion. "Of who? Lucrecia?"

Yuffie scrunched her nose. "No Vince, I'm jealous of the fact that I don't have your beautiful hair. But no, I don't really think it was really because of Lucrecia. Okay, I admit that at the beginning, I was jealous of her because she was always on your mind and that was the reason why you continued living. But I know that you were past that when we happened. To be honest, I think I was jealous of the fact that you could live so freely—with no one to dictate your destiny and no one you have to bow down to."

Vincent stayed silent and she gave him a pointed look. She grabbed the flask and poured him so more. "Hey mister, you're supposed to be drinking while I talk remember?"

"Of course," he said as he calmly drank his newly poured wine. "You also said you were insecure. I suppose that this was mostly my fault."

The oriental woman laughed lightly. "You really do know me too well, Vincent. Yes partially, it was your fault but it was also partially mine. I just had too much time to think and I started wondering about things like whether you'd be happy if I kept you here in Wutai for the rest of your life, especially when you were finally finding your way back into your own life. I was scared that you'd be overwhelmed by the pressure you'd have to face and be restless by the chains that would hold you here. I didn't want it for myself, so I didn't want you to go through it if you weren't willing."

"And what do you think about that now?" The dark-haired man questioned as he set down his empty dish.

"Well~ I don't know, how about you answer that question for me, Mr. Vampire," she teased as she took a drink. Yuffie then turned in her sitting position and lay down on her side with her head propped by her palm and her elbow angled on the wooden floor of the veranda. Her _yukata_ hiked up to her knees, baring her pale skin to the orange colors of the sunset.

"I suppose you'd be enjoying the wine as I speak?" Vincent replied dryly. The Empress didn't miss the way his garnet eyes scan down her exposed calves. She smiled and made a motion to zip her lips before grabbing the flask to pour more wine.

Yuffie took a refreshing gulp and looked patiently at Vincent. He took that as her cue to begin. He spoke slowly but not cautiously as he used to do. There was nothing left to hide between the two of them after all. "I know that if I were not willing, we would not be here today married and I would not be able to see how your presence is important to me."

"Oh, Vince!" She sighed a little dramatically. "You make me swoon sometimes."

Although she said that playfully, she was touched by his words. It was rare to hear him say things like that as he was always the more serious one. But when he did, it made her heart flutter each time because she knew he meant it from the heart. She would normally joke at how cool-as-a-cucumber he usually was and that even if he didn't say, she could feel it so it was okay for him not too. She thought it was enough for her—and sometimes it was, while other times it wasn't.

Vincent looked at her with an amused glint in his eyes. He waited expectantly for her to continue her theatrics but she mocked-zipped her lips once more and closed her eyes as she laid flat on her back and cradled her head with one arm. Her wine dish sat next to her.

"I think I realized," Vincent started before pausing for a minute and rephrasing his statement. "You helped me realize that there were things worth living for and that there were times for me to be selfish. So I know now that being with you is enough for me."

The Empress allowed his words to sink into her mind. She then softly asked him without opening her eyes, "But will it be enough for you tomorrow? Next week? Half a year? Ten years? Fifty?"

Garnet orbs flickered in muted surprise at the undercurrents of vulnerability in her voice. The gunslinger contemplated his possible course of action and decided to push aside the tray of refreshments from between them so that he could reach over and grab hold of her waist. Yuffie tensed only for a second at his touch and melted as he carefully pulled her over to him. Her body did not travel far as Vincent fully leaned over her, trapping her beneath him as his torso hovered over hers.

"Yuffie," he uttered her name lowly. His forearms rested on each side of her head. His golden talons curled around her soft fingers and tugged her right arm out from underneath her head.

The spot between her eyes furrowed as she mumbled a non-coherent reply, "Hmm?"

"Look at me, Yuffie," Vincent urged her quietly as he tightened his brass digits around her warm flesh. Yuffie bit her lower lip and peeked up at him with one eye. Eventually, she blinked and revealed to him doleful gray eyes. He could see her conflicted emotions and hear them as she tried to make a joke of their current position.

"Chehov is going to freak out about our lack of public decency if she catches us out here like this," she said with a weak grin.

"Yuffie," he repeated once more. He stared straight at her, holding back nothing and willing her to see how he felt. A silence—heavy and sweet—filled the air. Immersed in the weight of his feelings, Yuffie felt tears welling at the corners of her eyes and she tried to suppress them. She couldn't tell if they were tears of sadness or happiness—sadness for the fact that he was no longer free, that she was no longer free, that they were no longer free and happiness for the fact that they would have each other in this gilded cage, that he would give up his freedom to be with her, that she would never be lonely for as long as they lived.

"_Ne_, Vincent?" Her voice strained from holding back her tears.

He answered her in his soothing timbre, "Yes, Yuffie?"

"Thank you," Yuffie whispered as her free hand came to cup his cheek. "_Ai shiteru_."

Vincent savored the way her words of her native tongue filled him inside to the brim. It was hard to miss the meaning behind them. He shook his head lightly, while shifting his weight to the arm bracing his body over hers, and laid his clawed hand on her cheek.

"It is I who should say that. So thank you. And, I love you."

The last rays of orange washed over them as they shared a kiss.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> This was totally fluffy. I am spewing out romance left and right these days, to the point it is a little scary. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the update! I'll be working diligently on the remaining chapters, so until the next chapter: **Dusk**!

Thank you for reading and reviewing! I really enjoy getting your feedback and love!


	9. Dusk

**Disclaimers **on the characters of Final Fantasy VII, who rightfully belong to SquareEnix, because I really don't have the money as a college student to get sued.

**-.-**

Dusk,

By Winterwing3000

**-.-**

Vincent watched on silently as the Four Gods surrounded the stately desk in the study chamber. His red eyes strayed off to the side briefly and watched as the mechanical hand of the clock ticked to the next minute. Almost twenty minutes passed since Yuffie called them all for an impromptu meeting to discuss a most controversial issue.

"My Empress, please do not be hasty with Your decisions" Staniv said with a pleading tone. The other Elders held their tongue as they watched the situation suddenly escalated out of hand.

Yuffie immediately directed a glare at his way. She breathed heavily through her nose and said firmly, "No, Elder. You have all made your arguments, and so you are all dismissed. This is now a private matter between the Prince and This One."

The Four Gods stepped back and looked at each other. There was nothing else that they could do once Yuffie began to address herself in the royal tense. They bowed and filed out of her study. Shake exited last and closed the door behind him gently.

Vincent watched as the shadows of her advisors glided down the corridor through the screen doors. Once their presence disappeared, he heard her release a heavy sigh and so, he retrained his eyes on her slumped figure over the table. But her relief was short lived as the fire reignited in her eyes and then he knew that the battle ahead would be a hard one.

"Why didn't you say anything, Vincent?" she demanded right off the start as she sat up straight again. "If you agreed, then the Four Gods won't be able to do or say anything for the matter. We could have avoided this fiasco with them and actually went to bed early!"

From her rigid posture, it seemed that she was extremely agitated by the topic at hand yet Vincent knew that on the inside, he wished to avoid this matter for as long as possible, forever even. It was not logical to begin with and yet, Yuffie was persistent in making it happen. Surely, she did not think this idea through thoroughly. Otherwise, as she said, they would have avoided this and retired for the night. It still puzzled him for her to bring up such a ludicrous idea especially without consulting him about it beforehand.

"I did not believe that I was supposed to include my views on decisions that were made by you," he said to her to gauge her reaction. It was obviously a mistake as her grey eyes became stormier than usual.

She pushed her body away from her desk and stood up. "What do you mean, decisions made by me? This is about you, and what you want to say counts more than my words! The Gods were obviously looking at you for confirmation and if you said yes, then we wouldn't have to talk about it anymore."

Sighing, Vincent resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Yuffie, do you honestly believe that the Four Gods of the Pagoda would willingly accept the fact that you tried to hand off part of your ruling power to me?"

"If they don't, they're going to have to deal with it! I am the Empress and my words cannot be taken back! Otherwise, the people of Wutai would think lowly of my authority and integrity," she answered in a practiced manner. It was drilled into her head when Godo taught her the lessons of managing a kingdom.

"Even if you were to force them to accept your choice, I would refuse the offer," he told her pointedly. "I never had the interest in taking a role of power in Wutai or anywhere else for the matter. You knew that."

Yuffie held her tongue and pressed her palms against the desktop to support her upper body weight. Her bangs shadowed her eyes as she spoke in an unnerving quiet voice, "You know the offense of disobedience to the throne is punishable by death, regardless of one's rank and post in the order of Wutai, don't you Vincent, Prince of Wutai?"

Vincent approached her side and looked down at her stiff posture. He knew she was serious when she addressed him with his given title.

While he preferred to not be affiliated in any way, shape, or form with the politics of Wutai, he knew that Yuffie meant well. Currently he was named the Prince of Wutai but the name came with very little force behind it. Without any true demonstration of political power, his title is meaningless and Yuffie was trying to correct that. In the eyes of many of the court officials, there were only two reasons as to why he was elected as her consort in the first place.

The first reason was his previous association with ShinRa and his current affiliation with the WRO. With his connections to these two powerhouses, Wutai's chances of being dominated by the other world powers decreased. Furthermore, the trade treaties and conversations of mass manufacturing could be expanded upon their current state. This would jump start the long overdue economical revolution planned out by Godo during his reign, and it would aid Yuffie's original goal of recovering Wutai's former glory. He definitely had no issues in being a liaison for such future discussions, but Yuffie insisted that he should be given full authority of the project and assume the lead role rather than just a liaison.

The second was his supposed quest for power to control Wutai. The incredulous thought made his eyebrow twitch.

He was not completely deaf to the whispers that trickled throughout the kingdom, and if he knew, then Yuffie definitely heard of them. Maybe that was what spurred her to make such a farfetched decision to bestow him the title of being the Second.

There were claims that he married into the Kisaragi for the purpose of usurping the throne in order to increase ShinRa's influence and presence in Wutai. Other rumors suggested that he intended to lead Wutai to war against ShinRa for revenge of the company's past transgressions. The most absurd one accused him of bewitching their White Rose Princess with his vampire magic so that he may convert the island-country and its people into creatures of the night. Vincent wasn't really sure where that idea even came from, but he figured it had to do with the students that Yuffie trained at the dojo.

Regardless of their comments, they simply did not fully trust his intentions for marrying their Empress and believed that part of the reason as to why he was not given an official title at the wedding ceremony was because their Empress was also wary of him. That was an incorrect assumption on their part. Of course, at least that was what Vincent hoped it was.

While he appreciated the concern that Yuffie had for him and his image among her subjects, he refused to step down on this matter. He was satisfied to be in the shadows of the Empress because that was all he was capable of doing for her in this world so foreign to him. He was never a prince nor did he fully know what it was supposed to mean for him to be a prince in this country. He only knew that he was required to attend all the court sessions, any banquets, and to make any other necessary appearances in public. Otherwise, he had the freedom to do as he pleased around the kingdom. Most of that time, he spent at her side as her bodyguard and he was content with that.

"Then My Empress must realize that there are even times when I must disobey Your decrees, especially when it deals with a state affair like this," Vincent stated firmly.

Yuffie lifted her eyes from the table. They were ablaze with conflicted emotions. "My Prince, are you saying that you will not fulfill the order given to you by This One?"

"I did not realize that the decree was formally passed," he returned neutrally as he gazed directly at her.

Her dark eyes narrowed. "The minute the meeting was opened to the Four Gods, it is as good as done."

"Then I can only wait for my punishment." Vincent stood tall even as Yuffie stood up angrily with her hands clenching and unclenching at her sides. Right now, she exuded the power of the country's Empress but he knew that if he wavered, he could never turn back. This was something he was not willing to compromise with.

She asked him coolly, "This One will give you one more chance: do you willingly accept that which is graciously bestowed upon you, Prince?"

"The honor is beyond what my capable shoulders can bear, my Empress. Please, reconsider your decision." Vincent fell down to his knees silently and waited for her command.

"Very well, then. Prince of Wutai, Vincent Valentine of the Kisaragi clan, prepare to receive your punishment," Empress Yuffie Kisaragi announced firmly. Her hands gathered at her back and her body straightened out so that she stood gracefully yet regally. Her steel colored eyes looked down at him as her lips thinned out.

He looked up at her with his garnet eyes filled with resolution.

Without any hesitation, she bent over and delivered a right hook.

Vincent was caught off-guard by her hit and his face was turned to the side with a sharp cracking sound. His eyes were opened wide as he stared at her in disbelief. "Yuffie…"

The monarch stood back up with her hands at her hips with a huff. Her face was devoid of all the seriousness and instead she was pouting. "Consider that your punishment for disobeying me. But I'm still not happy that you refuse to accept your new title. Don't think I'm letting you off easily just because you're my husband! It's because I haven't stamped my seal on that stupid document!"

Numbly, he stood up and stayed silent. He knew if he interrupted her current venting session, he would be facing more than just a sore jaw in the morning. Somehow, thinking about her actions, he wondered if he should be more amused or relieved. It wasn't hard to imagine similar situations happening when Yuffie was discussing politics with her advisors; they still regarded her as the young princess who caused havoc around the kingdom. Yet if this was her solution to every person who dared to challenge her orders, well, it was best not to think of the outcome then.

"… So, instead of parsing my ruling rights, I'll just assign a new title to you. Something like a sub-title that will fit your new role. It'll be a part of your duties as the Prince, I guess. It's not like we've ever had a similar situation before in the history of Wutai, so it won't hurt for me to create something on the fly given the circumstances. I bet those old bats will be happy to hear it, too." Finally, Yuffie paused to breath. Then she looked skeptically at Vincent. "Did you hear a single thing I said or did you tune me out just now?"

"It is hard to follow when you are speaking a mile a minute, Yuffie," Vincent injected as he leaned against her desk. Yuffie merely rolled her eyes and sat back down.

"I'll be drafting a new document to give you the office of Goodwill Ambassador to the Continent. Currently, we don't have one because Godo was against the idea of ever working with those from the Continent since we've never done so in the past. But we're living in the modern times now!" She grabbed the top scroll from the pile on her desk and unfurled it. A mysterious glint of silver and two seconds later, it was shredded into many tiny little pieces on top of the wood.

Vincent watched slightly amused as she swept off the scraps with her long sleeve. "I see."

"I guess that means you approve? It'll be a new office, so it might take a few days for the room to be furbished and such. Not to mention, you'll have to take place in all of my courtly sessions now." Craning her neck, Yuffie stared at him with a stern look. "That means out of the shadows."

He nodded once. "That is fine with me."

She smirked at him and grabbed his collar so that they were nose to nose. "You better be, Vince, because I'm not changing my mind on this one."

Before he could answer, Yuffie reeled him in for a kiss.

**-.-**

**AN:** I'm feeling very nervous about how people are going to react to that hit… Anyway, on to the next chapter: **Night**.

Thank you for reading and reviewing!


	10. Night

**Disclaimers **on the characters of Final Fantasy VII, who rightfully belong to SquareEnix, because I really don't have the money as a college student to get sued.

**-.-**

Night,

By Winterwing3000

**-.-**

The crisp air of autumn pulled out the humidity left in the room from the day. Lanterns were lighted about the room and casted short shadows on the floor. From beyond the screen windows and the screen doors to the veranda, the last of the summer time critters sang songs of farewell to the hot season and prepared tunes of welcome for the harvest soon to come. A gong vibrated in the air, signaling the approach of the late hours of the night. Many shops and stores closed up, bidding goodbye to their final customers and locking up the front doors before the owners retired.

Back in the room and curled snugly at the center of the mattress, the feline purred in content as short blunt nails raked down its back repetitively. Eventually, it rolled over onto its back with paws limp and its tail swishing from side to side appreciatively as it waited for the petting to continue. There was a short pause and a chuckle before pale hands scratched gently over the white fur of its belly. It was a wonderful feeling and greatly welcomed as the cat crooned and meowed happily with its eyes closed.

When the bed dipped on the other side and another set of fingers joined in on the combing, a yellow-green eye opened in annoyance. The newcomer's fingers also had blunt nails but they lacked the confidence and the comfort. At times, the fingers dug in uncomfortably into the fur and irritated the skin underneath. The pampered feline yowled lowly and swatted several times at the offending appendages. Another giggle came from above before the cat found itself scooped up and hugged into a pool of fabric and human flesh.

Now with both its eyes opened, Mr. Snuffy stretched his paws with an unhappy meow. While he was grateful to be saved from the unbearable belly rub, he wished that he was still lying on top of the bed sheets. They were much cooler for him to rest on and he disliked being coddled after he cleaned his fur after dinner. The cat wriggled in the arms of his master and managed to roll over and stand on all fours on top of the bed. He flicked his long and bushy tail in a forlorn manner, hoping to win his master's favor and be allowed to remain on the bed for the night. This only earned him a pat on his head and he was eventually deposited by a claw and a hand to the ground.

Two feline eyes peered up at the two humans lounging on the bed. He meowed once more in plea.

"Sorry, Snuffters. I think it's only fair that you have to sleep elsewhere tonight. I can't have you listening to all of my bedsides trouble when I have a husband now, can I?" Yuffie teased as she leaned over the edge of the bed to scratch her pet cat between the ears once more.

As understanding her words, Mr. Snuffy sharply turned and faced her husband and locked gazes with him. A nudge at his side thwarted his attention and once more he found himself face to face with her. She nudged him again. "Go on now. I'll play with you in the morning."

With drooping silver whiskers, Mr. Snuffy lifted its nose and flicked his tail in a careless manner before he turned around and noiselessly went to find a comfortable place to rest for the night.

Vincent stared after the cat. "It seems he still hasn't come to terms with my presence."

Yuffie stared at him before laughing. "Oh Vincent! He's just a cat and cats receive people differently. I'm sure Mr. Snuffy likes you, in his own furry way. Now, on your belly!"

An eyebrow rose delicately. "Excuse me?"

"I'm giving you a back rub! I can't have my servants saying that I treat my cat better than my husband. What kind of wife will I be known as if that gets leaked out?" Yuffie grinned as she stood on her knees. "Now, lie down!"

Red eyes stared at grey ones dubiously. Eventually she sighed. "If you feel bad, you can give me a foot rub or something later. Now please, on your stomach Vincent."

Gingerly, Vincent rolled over on the bed and pillowed his head in his arms. He sucked in a silent breath as Yuffie straddled his thighs and held him down with her weight. She hummed quietly to herself as she began to knead his shoulders and he couldn't do anything but appreciate the pressure applied on his muscles.

"You could have asked me to work out the kink this morning, Vince," Yuffie murmured as she worked her fingers against the line of his neck and the slope to his right shoulder. "It only makes you more irritable when you wait it out."

Vincent grunted. He apparently slept at an awkward angle last night and woke up with sore muscles. Normally, he would think nothing of it and his quick recovery powers from his resident demons would fix the problem. But it took several reminders for him to remember that he was no longer immortal or all powerful. He also did his best to ignore and hide the pain, yet it didn't seem to escape Yuffie's sharp eyes.

By now, Yuffie moved on from his shoulders and down to his shoulder blades and the line of his spine. She clucked her tongue when he released a hiss of relief as the air between each vertebra popped. "I told you that your bad posture is going to hunt you in the future."

"And your habit of reforming your _kimono_ will send Chekov to an early grave," he quipped drowsily as she used her elbow to massage his lower back muscles. She dug in particularly hard and gave him an evil eye.

"I don't see what is so bad about it. I might even be setting a new fashion trend! Slits in _kimono_ sounds like an awesome idea." She finally patted his shoulder and rolled onto her side. "I'm sure that the youngsters these days will appreciate it to."

Rolling his neck, the gunslinger sat on his haunches and then reached over to take hold of her right foot. She smiled brightly and sat up while stretching out her right leg. "Speaking of which, it seems that Gorkii and Staniv are concerned about the future of the throne."

"What!" The Empress squawked unladylike and nearly jabbed her sole into his chest if he hadn't tightened his grip. Suddenly a blush was across her fair cheeks and a fire blazed in her eyes. "We-We've only been married for two months! Those old coots are crazy!"

Vincent cocked his head to the side, his inky bangs brushing across his eyes. "Is there perhaps an expectation for you to bear an heir within the first few months of marriage?"

She pouted. "No, there's nothing stupid like that. I heard from Godo that I was conceived about two seasons after they married, not that I need to know, honestly that old man. It's more of an expectation of the public because having news of a baby on the way is always good, especially to the citizens. It assures them that the welfare of Wutai is stable."

"Makes sense," he mumbled as he pressed his flesh thumb between each toe and massaged the webbed skin. "To know that there will be someone to take the throne would be reassuring."

"I can't believe they were talking to you about it though," Yuffie huffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "If anything, shouldn't they be talking to me? After all, I'm the one who has to walk around for nine months like a pregnant Chocobo! And why so soon?"

He rubbed his fist into the heel of her foot thoughtfully. "Isn't there unrest at the eastern borders at the moment?"

She nibbled on her lower lip, distracting him momentarily. "It's nothing too serious right now. But there is a probability that it might escalate if I don't issue an order soon. I have several ideas in mind, but I still have to talk with the province governor to work out the actual details. It shouldn't have caused that much worry with Staniv and Gorkii though. I mean, children?"

The dark-haired male dropped her right foot and reached for her left. "You are against the idea of children?"

Yuffie froze with her steel colored eyes wide. For several moments, she gaped like a fish. "No, that's not it! I thought that you might… not… like… the idea. We've never really talked about it you know? I thought you might be sensitive about it, given the situation with Sephiroth and Lucrezia and Hojo…"

"Hn, we never talked of children," he agreed. "I did not think of it too much before as well."

"Do you think we'll be fit to be parents?" Yuffie wondered aloud. "I mean, I admit Godo wasn't the greatest of parents and I wasn't the best of daughters. Oh my gosh, Vincent, what if I found out I'm a horrible mother after having children? I'd ruin their lives forever!"

"I'm sure that you will be fine as a mother and that you will not ruin any lives of the children we may have," said Vincent calmly. But when she looked at him incredulously, he added, "Perhaps we should ask Chekov for some assistance."

The ninja nodded and chimed, "And Teefs! She's a natural-born mother, Tifa is. Maybe Shera too! She's bound to have half a dozen of Cids running around by then! Can you imagine that in the future, second generation AVALANCHE babies having play dates? What if our kids married Cloud and Tifa's children? Or Cid and Sher'a children? We'd be related to them for real!"

"You are getting ahead of yourself, Yuffie." He gave her a dry look. "Perhaps we should start with how many children you had in mind."

She turned her attention fully on him with a sneaky smile. "How many children do you want, Vincent?"

"How ever many you wish to have," replied her husband smoothly. "As you said before, it is not I who will be carrying them for nine months."

"Hehe, I've trained you well, my grasshopper," she jibed as she brought her right leg in and propped her chin on her knee. "Four would be overkill, if you think about it seriously. I might be okay with three children, but…"

"You fear that the youngest will be excluded," he concluded. "I agree. Then will two children be fine with you?"

"It's okay with me if you're okay with it! But I'm not going to pop two kids out at the same time, maybe two or three years apart." The oriental woman closed her eyes and frowned. "I'll have to schedule a trip to the shrine of Da Chao and Leviathan to pray soon."

"There is no rush," he reminded her. "You have more pressing matters to take care of at the moment."

She sighed when he pressed a specific spot on the bridge of her foot. "It's tradition for the Empress to pray at the shrines several months ahead, several times a month too, to ensure conception and safe arrival of the baby. I'm sure by then, things will have settled more and I will have more time and less stress."

"I thought you disliked tradition." Vincent stared at his wife with an amused glint in his eyes. His right thumb massaged her left ankle slowly.

Yuffie wriggled her toes and drew random shapes on his shirt. She could feel the defined contours of his abdomen. A wicked grin spread across her lips at his sharp intake. "Yeah, well, there are times when tradition is absolutely wonderful. Don't you think so, too?"

By now, she leaned forward so that their noses were inches away from each other and he had to peer through his long black bangs to meet her eyes. His voice dropped a notch. "Of course. Practice is also highly valued."

"Practice?" Like a cat that caught a canary, she smiled and she pressed their lips together. When she pulled back, she licked the tips of her canines. "Practice is definitely and always welcomed."

**-.-**

**AN:** Only the ending left now. See you all in the final chapter: **Midnight**.

Thank you for reading and reviewing **CupofTeaforAliceandHatter**, **Nino, **and **SleeplessMemories**.


	11. Midnight

**Disclaimers **on the characters of Final Fantasy VII, who rightfully belong to SquareEnix, because I really don't have the money as a college student to get sued.

Midnight,

By Winterwing3000

The sky was cloaked in darkness with only the round moon glowing dimly behind faint clouds. The air was clean, crisp, and cool, reminiscent of the passing winter season. It was late and not a soul stirred. There were only shadows on the ground and sparse lights dotting the winding pathway. Family dogs were sleeping quietly at the doorsteps and stray cats were slinking stealthily in the alleyways. The face of Da Chao San stood tall and ominous with the multiple statues carved into it. The mountain loomed over the widespread capitol of Wutai and the eyes of the four guardians looked down at the rooftops and empty streets, guarding the village from the evils of the night.

At the base of the mountain, the path split into two paths—one directly led up to the peaks and another carved sideways to the mountain wall. Night time critters scurried actively about in the grass lining the dirt road and from their perch on blades of grass glow bugs lured onlookers seductively with their light. They dotted the crooked and uneven road without patterns and became a guiding light to any visitor. At the end of the glow-bug lined pathway was the mouth to the fire cave. Flames leaped at the rustling wind and acted as a barrier to ward off intruders. None of the animals dared to go near the mouth of the cave from fear.

An exhausted groan belched forth from the dark cavity and caused the fiery portal to tremble violently before a section of it parted. Two shadowed figures emerged from behind the flames encased in an iridescent bubble. It dissolved the moment they were out of the cave and as they darted into the night air. At their appearances, the rodents scattered from their nightly foraging and took cover so that only their beady eyes were visible. Without paying any mind to the little animals around them, the figures took off on the path and their footsteps were soundless against the dirt. All the way down the mountain they went until they arrived at the edge of the village.

With a practiced leap, they simultaneously landed on the closest balcony. The large figure took a quick glance at the height to the roof ledge before jumping again. The smaller person held out an arm after securing the cloth cocoon at the front. With a strong pull, both of them were crouched on clay tiles.

Without any delay, they crept through the inky darkness and darted noiselessly across the shingled rooftops with blatant disregard to the four pairs of stony eyes and their stern vigilance. The shorter person readjusted bundle in her arms and did her best not to jostle it as she moved. The man at her side loomed over her protectively with a golden claw wrapped across her midsection and his blood red cloak fluttered behind him.

Yuffie urged her body to carry on forward especially when she felt the small hairs on the back of her neck stand. She hissed in panic under her breath, "Vincent!"

"Almost there," he murmured back. He allowed a short glance over her head and spotted two vanishing shadows not too far behind them. His right hand inched down to the large holster strapped to his thigh and brushed the safety of Cerberus but Yuffie gasped when two more shadows appeared several feet in front of them.

To avoid confrontation, Vincent tucked her against his side and turned sharply to the right with a single step. Before they fully hit the pavement, they were off running in the maze of alleys and hope that this would buy more time for their escape.

"Damn that chain-smoking old man!" The Empress was not impressed by Cid's tardiness. "I thought you said he was going to be here waiting for us?"

The gunslinger didn't look her way as they navigated through several intersections of alleys. "I suspect he might have run into some trouble."

"It would help if he gave us some heads up!" Yuffie reached into the pouch tied at her hip and threw some shuriken at their pursuers when they came too close for comfort. Her mark was true as her silver blades embedded into their flesh. The bundle in her left arm squirmed and whimpered. She cooed to it in her softest voice. "Hush darling. Sleep."

"Hold on," Vincent muttered as he scaled a wall while bearing her weight. Yuffie instinctively tightened her hold on it and allowed him to help her over the wall. Then they were off running again in attempt to lose their pursuers once more along the waterway.

Yuffie knew that it was a terrible idea to be following the waterway and she knew that Vincent knew as well. They were too much in the open and had no cover from buildings on the other side of the wall. Looking up ahead, there were only two routes: to keep going straight or to cross the bridge and into the wilderness. Filled with indecision, she looked over at Vincent who matched her pace. "Vince!"

"The bridge," he told her as he herded her to their left. A bridge was just up ahead of them and the coast was clear. There were only pursuers behind them.

"Are you sure?"

"It's our only option."

Just as they stepped on to the bridge, dread filled her as four figures slipped out of the shadows on the other side. Immediately, Vincent spun around so that they were now back to back.

"Empress, we do not wish to harm you." One of the ninja spoke. "Please, allow us to escort you and the Prince back to the Palace."

Standing tall, Yuffie held back her face of disdain and schooled her expression into one of neutrality. "This One will not be treated as a prisoner in my own village. Now retreat and leave This One be."

"We cannot do that, Empress," said another ninja, "For we are under the orders of the Four Gods. We only wish to protect you, Lady Empress."

"If you truly wish to protect This One, then go back to the Palace yourselves. This One has no wish to stay cooped up in there knowing that there will be assassins after the Royal Family." The Wutai woman looked around her surroundings cautiously. There must be at least eight of them in front of her and most likely another eight facing Vincent. She refrained from stepping back a step to see how far away Vincent was from her location.

"The Four Gods only hope that the Empress will consider the welfare of the young Prince." A female ninja explained as she tried to inch closer to the former members of AVALANCHE.

"He is my son!" Yuffie hissed as she dropped all royal formalities. The Hawkeye materialized into her right arm as she shifted the baby to her left. "I think I should know what is best for him and right now, Wutai is the last place he should be!"

"Please listen to us, Lady Empress. The young Prince is safer in Wutai where Da Chao's eyes and ears can subdue all attempts of assassination," the first ninja reasoned as they all eyed her sharpened weapon. The steel glinted in the moonlight.

The second ninja didn't hesitate to add, "There will be constant guards around the young Prince as well. For more reassurance, warriors of Wutai will defend the Prince—"

The sound of a cracking whip echoed loudly in the tense atmosphere followed by silence as almost everyone stared wide-eyed at the tall Nibelheim man with a smoking Quicksilver. There was a muted tinkling as the empty shell fell onto the bridge surface.

"Enough," said Vincent finally with his low voice. His garnet eyes glittered solemnly as he surveyed the surprised expressions in front of him. "Our son is not staying in Wutai. Now return to the Palace."

No one dared to speak back against him from the fear of decapitation by their Empress. They all resorted to shooting poisonous glares in his direction instead.

Suddenly, a low humming sound broke through the silence of the night and it steadily grew louder. A sudden gust swept past them as the air pressure above their heads changed. Yuffie stared up at the solid figure of a metal war airship hovering several hundred meters above them as it slowly descended in height. The hunter ninjas stared up at the metal beast with fear and awe.

"Finally! That old coot is here!" Yuffie cheered as she stepped back and her back touched Vincent's. Spotlights mounted on the belly of the Shera made wide sweeps at the area down below before they locked on to the couple's location. Other spotlights continued to rove around their surroundings and provided sight to the couple.

No one dared to breathe as the hatch opened and a rope ladder was tossed down from above. It dangled about twenty feet above their heads and several persons to the right of the bridge. The wind from the propellers forced it to rock to and fro.

"Quick, we must stop the Empress!" the female ninja cried as she snapped out of her daze. "The young Prince cannot leave Wutai!"

The other ninjas did not falter at the reminder and leaped into action. Vincent fired off his rounds and did his best to prevent their pursuers from coming any closer. Yuffie did her best to fend off the attackers in front of her but struggled as her long range weapon did not suit close body battles.

Just as his handgun clicked empty, Vincent did not bother changing the magazine and quickly secured it in the holster at his back. His claw managed to deflect several oncoming shuriken as his gloved hand reached down to the holster attached to his right leg. He drew Cerberus and continued to hold back the ninja with non-lethal but disabling shots. He grunted in annoyance when he realized that it seemed as if their number did not drop the slightest.

"Haaa!" A guttural battle cry came from above and all heads turned up. A person jumped from the open hatch and landed deftly on his feet despite the broadsword in his hand.

"Cloud!" Yuffie exclaimed, partly in relief and partly in surprise as he stood up straight right in front of her.

The blond man nodded over his shoulder to the woman before focusing on the enemies in front of him. "We'll talk later. Vincent and I will cover you. Go."

Pausing at his order in reluctance, Yuffie turned around to face Vincent's back. He did not look but answered, "Go. We will follow behind you."

"No!" The female ninja objected loudly as she charged toward Cloud. "You mustn't leave, Empress!"

Cloud took a step forward and deflected her with a swipe of the First Tsurugi. "Go, Yuffie."

"Fine," she breathed in irritation. While she appreciated the sentiment, she disliked the treatment she was given due to the disadvantages she had as a handicapped fighter. Loosening a belt from her waist and the front of her _kimono_, she carefully tucked the bundle close to the left of her bosom and tightly looped the belt over the opposite shoulder. Then, with a running jump off of the bridge railing, she sailed easily through the air and caught a wooden step with one hand. She turned to look over her shoulder as the ladder swayed from the sudden momentum.

Cloud and Vincent took that moment to fully engage and distract the forces chasing after her. It was disadvantageous to Vincent as he was not given the time to reload Cerberus and he was forced to hand-to-hand combat. Cloud continued to wield his sword with precision as he aimed for disabling parts of his foes.

"You follow Yuffie," Cloud told Vincent as he kicked a ninja off the bridge and into the water.

The gunslinger shook his head once. "I cannot do that and leave you here."

"I would worry about Yuffie before myself," the blond swordsman said as he deflected several shinobi swords.

"Oi, if you ain't getting' on board in the next two minutes, I'm leavin'!" Cid's voice blared from over the intercom.

Yuffie glared up at the front of the ship as her ears rung from the loudness. Nonetheless, she looked down at the two male warriors in worry. The number of ninja surrounding them seemed to have increased. With her free hand, she reached to the hidden pouch at her waist and picked up a handful of spheres. She called down in warning as she chucked them down to the bridge. "Vincent! Cloud!"

Vincent quickly spied what was in her hands and without a word, he grabbed Cloud's forearm with his gauntlet and leaped off the bridge in a few strides. A brilliant and blinding light flashed behind them as they caught onto the rope ladder a few steps below Yuffie. Immediately after throwing the flash bombs, she scurried up the swinging ladder and did not even look back once. Two of the ship's crew members were simultaneously pulling the ladder back into the ship.

In a matter of moments, the hatch closed and all three of them were on board the Shera.

Once she caught her breath, Yuffie stood up straight with a beaming smile at the former leader of AVALANCHE. "Thanks Cloud!"

The usually stoic man managed a small tip at the corner of his lips. "You're welcome, Yuffie. It's good to see you again. You too, Vincent."

"Likewise, Cloud," said Vincent. He took a glance around the loading bay and noticed the lack of their companions.

"The others are waiting at the bridge," Cloud told them. He looked at Yuffie and the wriggling bundle in her arms. "Do you need a tranquilizer from the sick bay? Or anything else?"

"Nope! I think I'll be okay this time. I've vomited more than enough the past ten months!" The dark haired woman said brightly. She turned to her husband. "Now let's go! I want to see Tifa!"

Vincent nodded and fell in step with Cloud as Yuffie took the lead. Cloud broke the silence between them first. "Congratulations, Vincent."

The gunslinger nodded again. "Thank you."

With a hiss, the door in front of them opened and the view of wispy clouds and moonlight greeted them. Tifa stopped in midsentence with Barret and her entire face lit up at the sight of the trio. She came over to them immediately and was closely followed by Red XIII and Barret. "Yuffie! Vincent!"

"Hey Teef!" Yuffie smiled in return. She shared a one armed hug with her friend before pulling back. Vincent stood behind her and Cloud rejoined Tifa at her side. Their other friends shared their verbal greetings as they formed a semi-circle around the newcomers. Cid handed over the steering controls to the pilot-in-training and came over as well.

Everyone stared at the clothed bundle in Yuffie's arms with the same question in their eyes as whimpers came from it. With a bated breath, Tifa stared her female companion. "Is this him?"

"Mmhm!" After a quick glance at Vincent, the Wutai Empress gently uncovered the white bundled baby and held him out to be seen properly by her friends. Heads bent in close and Red XIII stood up on his hind legs to see more clearly. Yuffie smiled with brightness in her eyes.

"Everyone, Vincent and I would like you to meet the Crown Prince of Wutai, Zoren Valentine of the Kisaragi Clan."

**AN:** And this is the end. Thank you for reading and reviewing, my beloved audience! This was a great journey for me, and I hope for you as well. Until next time!


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